Finding a Way Back
by Mosie1213
Summary: Something terrible has happened in Nathan and Haley's life and it's tearing them apart. Will they be able to overcome it and come together again? Or will the terrible events threaten to tear them apart forever? Brucas will endure thier hardships too, as w
1. Chapter 1: A Happy Family

**This is sort of different for me, so I hope you guys like it. Please review. Thanks.**

**Chapter One-**_A Happy Family_

_"We really shouldn't be doing this right now." Brooke said with a smile as Lucas kissed her neck._

_"And why not?" Lucas asked, looking up at Brooke. "You're here, I'm here, and we're totally in love and hot for each other. We'd be damn crazy not to pass up this opportunity."_

_Lucas kissed Brooke's lips before moving back down to her neck. Smiling, Brooke said, "I agree. But you're supposed to be at basketball practice, and me at cheer practice."_

_"Eh," Lucas shrugged, smiling at her again. "They won't miss us. Besides, you've got enough cheer."_

_She smiled again and they continued making out. But before things could get anymore serious, Whitey had busted through the door to the basketball equipment room. Brooke and Lucas broke apart when he started yelling._

_"What the hell is this?" Whitey yelled with a scowl on his face. "National Scott Make Out During Practice Day? First, I find the younger Scott brother and his Mrs. In the locker room, and now you two?"_

_Lucas and Brooke could hardly contain their smiles and Lucas said, "Sorry, Coach._

_"I don't want to hear sorry! I want to see you running suicides in the gym, Scott. And I want to see you flipping your pom-poms, Miss Davis. Mow, move it, both of you!"_

_Smiling, Brooke led Lucas out of the storeroom…_

"Wake up, pretty girl." Lucas whispers in Brooke's ear as he lay next to her in bed. He kisses her neck and remembering her dream, Brooke smiles and opens her eyes. She rolls over and faces Lucas.

"Good morning, Cheery." Lucas speaks again.

"Mmm…'morning, Broody." Brooke replies before kissing him. After a few minutes, when they stop, Lucas says, "Wow…what were you just dreaming about?"

"You, of course." Brooke replies. "I was dreaming about that time Whitey caught us making out in the equipment room during practice."

Lucas laughs and says, "Oh yeah, I remember that. One of my favorite memories."

They both smile again before cuddling closer together on the bed.

"So, last night will make for a pretty great memory, huh?" Lucas says with his wife's head resting on his shoulder.

"Yea, definitely." Brooke replies. "I just hope we remember it as the night we made a baby."

"Oh, come on, babe. Don't go sad on me again. We will get another baby. We just have to let nature take its course."

"I know, but we've been trying for months to get pregnant again. I really want to have another baby, Luke. I want Jess to have a sibling she can grow up with. I mean she's three and already so much like me. But I don't want her to grow up like I did, lonely and desperate for attention."

"She won't, Brooke. She'll be perfectly fine. Jessi is going to have a different childhood than you, a better one."

Brooke looks up at him and says, "Promise?"

"I promise." Lucas says before kissing Brooke again. But a tiny little tap on the door together interrupts their quiet time.

"Mommy…daddy…" their little girl's voice speaks outside the door. "It's me…Jessilin."

Lucas smiles and says to Brooke, "There she is, right on time. I knew we shouldn't have moved her out of that crib."

Brooke smacks him playfully and says, "Stop it. Go let her in."

"Okay." Lucas says, climbing off the bed, still dressed in his sweats and t-shirt.

"Hello?" Jessilin talks again. "I'm still waiting out here."

Lucas smiles again as he opens the door. A short, little girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes looks up at him, hands on her hips.

"Well, it's about time." She says before Lucas picks her up and kisses her cheek. Brooke smiles at them from the bed.

"What took you so long to answer the door? Jessi asks, staring into her father's same blue eyes.

"Sorry, Jess." Lucas replies. "Mommy and I were cuddling."

"Oh." Jessi says. "Well, I wanna cuddly with momma too."

Lucas puts her down and Jessi runs over and climbs onto the bed via the oak chest at the end of the bed. She crawls up to Brooke.

"Hi, Mommy." She says, smiling as she hugs her mother.

"Good morning, baby girl." Brooke replies.

Jessi pulls away and says, "Hey, I'm not a baby any more, 'member? I got a big girl bed. I a big girl now."

Lucas and Brooke both chuckle and Brooke says, "Yes, you are a big girl. But you'll always be our baby girl."

"Well…" Jessi says with a thoughtful look. "I guess that's okay."

"Hey, speaking of your new big girl bed." Lucas says. "Did you make it like I showed you?"

"Umm…" Jessi says, a grin spreading across her face. "I forgot. But I'll go do it now, Daddy."

"That's my girl." Lucas says, helping his daughter off the bed. After Jessi runs from the room, Lucas smiles at Brooke and says, "See, she has a different life already. She makes her own bed."

Brooke smiles and tosses a pillow at her husband, forcing a chuckle from him. He sits back on the bed, glances at the clock on his nightstand, looks at Brooke and says, "Well, we should probably get up and get ready so we can get over to Nathan and Haley's."

"Oh yeah." Brooke said. "James' birthday. This is going to be a tough day for them. Do you really think we should go over there? I mean, are you sure they don't want to be alone with Cooper and Katie?"

"No." Lucas replies with a somber face. "Nathan asked everyone to come over and help him out with the kids and talk to Haley. You know, get her to talk to people. She's hardly been out of the house since what happened to James."

"I know." Brooke says as she sits up higher in bed. "But I don't think she's going to find it any easier today."

"Probably not. You're right, I know. But Nathan's my brother and Haley's as real a sister to me as Kelcee is. I can't stand seeing her or Nathan go through so much sadness and anger and guilt. I have to help them through this…in anyway that I can."

"I know, baby." Brooke says, rubbing his back. "I know."


	2. Chapter 2: The Heart Aches

**Chapter Two: **_The Heart Aches_

_"Okay, Jamie." Haley said with a smile as Nathan set a large square object with a towel draped over it, on the floor in front of James. Haley finished, "This is a very special present from daddy and me. But before you see what's inside, you have to promise to love the present with all your heart."_

_"I promise, Momma!" James said excitedly._

_Haley smiled at Nathan as he lifted the towel and revealed a black cage with a blond puppy inside, dressed with a red bow around his neck. Their son's jaw dropped when he saw the dog and he shouted excitedly, "A puppy! You got me a puppy? But you told me I wasn't old enough yet."_

_"Well, we changed our minds." Nathan said. "We decided that since you wanted a dog so badly, if we got you one, you would be a really big boy and take really good care of it."_

_"I will, Dad. I promise." James stood up and hugged both Haley and Nathan. Then, he smiled up at them and said. "You guys are the bestest mom and dad. I love you."_

_"We love you too, baby." Haley said before watching her son run back over to the cage. She and Nathan watched with smiles as James held the puppy in his arms. James looked back at them, but he was no longer smiling. Now, he looked sad and lonely…and scared. There were tears in his eyes and Haley's smile faded as her son called out to her, "Mommy…mommy, please find me…I'm scared."_

Haley sits up in her bed, sweating. She looks over at her nightstand, at a preschool picture of James in a frame. She picks it up and admires it. She runs her fingers over each of his features, every beautiful part of him that she loves and misses, like his beautiful light brown hair…gorgeous blue eyes…and handsome little boy smile. The thoughts of her little boy bring Haley to tears and she throws the frame across the bed before burying her face in her hands and sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, baby." She says through her sobs. "I'm so sorry."

A few minutes later, Nathan enters the bedroom. He walks over to the bed, sits next to Haley and holds her in his arms, against his chest.

"It's okay, Hales." He says, knowing it's not really okay, but trying to make her feel better. "It's going to be okay."

Upset by those words, Haley pushes away from Nathan angrily. With red, swollen eyes, she snaps at him.

"How can you say that, Nathan? It's not going to be okay. He's our son, our little boy, our five year old little boy and he's gone."

She pauses and watches him with wet eyes and finishes with, "It will never be okay without him."

"Haley…" Nathan says, moving a hand to her leg. "I just meant that I'm here for you. I miss him too and we're going to get through this together."

There is a knock on the door and ten-year-old Cooper opens the door.

"Mom…" he says. "Katie is awake."

"Okay. I'll be right there." Haley replies. "Thanks, honey."

Cooper left the room and Haley climbs out of bed.

"I can't talk about this anymore right now." She says, moving towards the door. "I have to get Katie up."

After she leaves, Nathan sighs and looks down at the photo Haley had thrown to his side of the bed. He picks it up and stares at it deeply.

"We really miss you buddy." He says before replacing the frame on Haley's nightstand. "Wherever you are."


	3. Chapter 3: Happy Anniversary

**Chapter Three: **_Happy Anniversary_

"That dress is so gorgeous, P. Sawyer almost Jagielski." Brooke said, smiling while she and Haley waited with Peyton for the ceremony to begin.

_Peyton's grin grew wider as she replied, "Thanks. It was my mom's."_

_"Well, it's really beautiful for being old." Haley said, also smiling._

_"So, are you nervous?" Brooke asked._

_Peyton thought, smiled and said, "I'm not actually. I thought I would be, but I'm not. Jake and Jenny mean the world to me and they're my family. And I can't wait to be Mrs. Jake Thomas Jagielski."_

_Brooke and Haley joined in smiles again and there was a knock on the door._

_"Who is it?" Peyton asked._

_"It's your father." Larry answered as he opened the door. He stared at Peyton in awe when he saw her._

_"Wow, Honey, you look…" He walked closer to his daughter and finished with, "Amazing…absolutely beautiful…just like your mother."_

_Peyton smiled again and said, "Thanks, Daddy."_

_"Are they ready for us yet, Mr. Sawyer?" Haley asked._

_"Yes, the yare." Larry replied. "I'm supposed to cue the bridesmaids, then the bride. So are you ready?"_

_Peyton looked at her friends then back at her father and said, "I'm definitly ready." She waited with her father in the back room a few minutes longer until they heard the music she was to walk down the aisle to. And with a fast growing smile on her face, she grabbed her bouquet and left the room. She smiled at Jake from the end of the aisle and he smiled back at her. And as she walked, the only thing on her mind was how much she loved the fact that she was about to start a life as Jake's wife, Mrs. Jake Thomas Jagielski…and what a wonderful name and life it would be…_

Jake leans over Peyton, watching her sleep. She smiles in her sleep and Jake laughs quietly.

"I do." He hears her whisper and he smiles again.

He moves his face loser to Peyton's ear and whispers, "I do, too."

Peyton opens her eyes and looks over at Jake.

"Happy Anniversary, beautiful." He says.

"Happy anniversary." Peyton replies before kissing her husband of six years.

After the kiss, she stares at him and asks, "Can you believe we've been married for six years already?"

"Actually, it seems like we've been married longer because we were together for so long before we finally did get married. But I love it."

"So do I." Peyton agrees. After a minute, she speaks again, "So, we need to spend some time at Nathan and Haley's today. But we can have Jenny watch Anna and Riley tonight if you want to celebrate."

"That sounds like a plan." Jake says, as he enters their master bathroom. "I already made reservations at the restaurant you love so much."

"Awe…thanks you." Peyton replies, climbing out of bed. "You know exactly how to surprise me and make me happy, don't you?"

"Of course." Jake says, returning to the bedroom and standing in front of his wife. "That's my job."

Peyton smiles before they kiss again.


	4. Chapter 4: Dealing With the Pain

**Chapter Four: **_Dealing with the Pain_

"Here you go, mommy and daddy. Here's your brand new baby boy."

_Nathan and Haley smiled as the nurse passed to Haley's arms, a newborn swaddled in a soft blue blanket. Both were in tears._

_"Oh Nathan…" Haley said softly as she smiled. "He is so beautiful."_

_"Yea, he his." Nathan said, staring at his new son. "He looks just like you."_

_Haley chuckled and said, "He has a little bit of you in him too."_

_Nathan smiled again and the baby yawned. Haley responded, "Awe…how adorable was that yawn?"_

_"I guess he is a little like me. He's been in the world for five minutes and already ready to sleep."_

_Haley laughed again and then said, "Boy, Cooper is going to be so happy to hear he has a baby brother."_

_They continued to bond together and with their son. After the baby had fallen asleep, Nathan asked, "So, what do you think we should call him?"_

_Haley thought for a moment and then replied, "Well, besides you and Cooper, there are two other men who are very, very important to me. My dad and Lucas have loved me and protected me as much as you have. So what do you think about calling our new little guy, James Lucas?"_

_Nathan smiled again and said, "I think that's perfect."_

_They both looked back at their son and Nathan said, "Welcome to the world, James Lucas Scott…and happy birthday."_

_Ding Dong!_

Nathan left the kitchen with his daughter in his arms when he heard the bell. He opens the front door and finds his brother, sister-in-law and niece on the other side of the door.

"Hey guys." He greets, holding the glass door open. "Come on in."

Lucas holds the door open for Brooke before he steps inside with Jessilin in his arms.

"Hey Katie May." Brooke says with a smile to the 12 month old in Nathan's arms. "Come see your auntie Brooke."

Katie reaches for Brooke and Nathan passes her to Brooke. Lucas puts Jessi down, whom at once, runs through the living room to find Cooper. Lucas hugs his brother.

Afterwards, he asks, "How're you doing?"

Nathan sighs and replies, "I'm doing okay. I'm really missing him, but I'm doing okay."

"Where's Haley?" Brooke wonders while her niece fiddles with her necklace.

"Upstairs." Nathan sighs again. "She got out of bed to get Katie up and get her and Coop breakfast, but then she just wanted to go back to bed. I at least convinced her to take a shower and get dressed. Then, maybe, I can convince her to come down."

"It'll be okay, Nate." Lucas says, tapping his brother's shoulder. "You and Haley…you're going to get through this."

Nathan stares at him and Brooke and replies, "I don't think so, man. I'm not sure if we'll ever get through this."

Hearing the sound of her friends and family downstairs, Haley decides she should go down and visit with them, for a little while at least. After all, they have come to be there for her and Nathan; yet, she still doesn't feel much like seeing anybody…other than her little boy.

She opens the door and heads for the stairs, but something stops her when she steps into the hall. She looks down the hall at the door. She can see the blue wooden letters spelling out JAMES. She has not been in his bedroom in weeks, not since that day. But as she stands there in front of the door, thinking about her son for the millionth time that day, Haley feels like she needs to go in, just so she might be able to sense him, or find some sort of answer.

She slowly twists the knob on the door and pushes it open. Taking a deep breath, she walks inside the room, where the walls are painted light blue. His toys are still scattered about the room, Haley, with tears in her eyes, walks a little further inside, heading toward his bed in the corner near the window. She sits down on the blue racecar bed and smoothes her hand over the matching blue comforter until her hand meets the stuffed dog.

Tears falling faster from her eyes, Haley picks up the dog and hugs it to her chest. And once again, her son's memory comes back to her…

"_A race car bed!" James shouted when Nathan and Haley led him into his bedroom. He ran over to it and Nathan and Haley had watched him with smiles._

_"Do you like this big boy bed?" Haley asked._

_James turned around and nodded at them with a wide grin and replied, "Yea, I love it. It's awesome!"_

_"Now you have your own race car like your Uncle Coop." Nathan added as he sat down on the bed._

_"Yea, but Dad…this is not a real race car. It's pretend, right Momma?"_

_"Yes." Haley answered wit ha chuckle._

_"But I want a real race car, Momma."_

_"Sorry." Haley said as she smiled again. "There will never be a real race car."_

_James pouted for only a moment before he asked, "How about a dog, then? Can I get a real dog?"_

_Nathan and Haley both laughed and Haley replied, "Maybe in a few years. We'll see."_

Haley cries harder as she runs through that memory.

"Please come back to me, Jamie." She sobs. "Please, baby…please."

In the hall, Lucas stops at the top of the stairs when he hears Haley crying. He notices the open door at the end of the hall and walks over to it. He stops in the doorway when he sees Haley crying on James' bed.

"Hey Hales." He says and she looks up as he enters the room.

Haley wipes away her tears as Lucas sits next to her.

"I guess it would be really stupid to ask how you're holding up?" He says with a small grin.

For a moment, Haley chuckles, but immediately forces the smile from her face and looks away from Lucas. His smile fades too as he speaks again.

"Haley…you are allowed to smile, you're allowed to laugh and you're allowed to be happy."

"I'm not happy, Luke." Haley snaps. "It's my son's birthday and I can't even enjoy it with him."

Lucas just listens and waits for her to continue. He knows there is more she needs to get out.

"Six weeks, Luke…It's only been six weeks and it feels like it's been a year. He should be here now…laughing and smiling, playing and having a good time. This is his day."

She is on the verge of breaking down and Lucas hugs her. After the long hug, he pulls away and tries to provide some comforting words.

"I know how much you miss him, Hales. I miss him to. We all do…all those people downstairs miss him, especially Nathan. Look, I know today is a very difficult day for you, but it's hard for Nathan too and he is downstairs anyway, worrying about you up here. So do you think you might be able to handle coming down for a little everyone so everyone can see that you're okay?"

Haley considers, gives the tiniest smile and answers, "Okay…for a little while."

Lucas smiles back and hug his best friend before they leave the room, close the door and head back down the hall.


	5. Chapter 5: What Hurts the Most

**Chapter Five: **_What Hurts the Most_

As she and Lucas step off the last stair, Haley realizes how many eyes are on her. The yare in the den, surrounded by her parents and sister and brother-in-law. Her mother is the first to hug her. Haley welcomes the hug.

"I'm so happy to see you up and about, Haley bob." Her mother says as the hug.

Her father, Jimmy holds her next as he says, "Yes, we've been so worried about you, honey."

"Thanks." Haley says, pulling out of the hug. "But I'm okay. It's just hard."

Haley looks over at Taylor and hugs her sister as she asks, "What are you doing here? Don't you have to work?"

"Nope." Taylor replies. "You're more important to me than work and I needed to come make sure you're doing okay."

"Yeah, well, I'm not. I'm doing the same as I have been for the past six weeks…not so good."

Her family watches as Haley moves through the living room to the kitchen, where Lucas has already come to.

"Hey honey." Nathan says, walking over to her. She accepts his hug and after the hug, Deb asks, "Haley, would you like something to eat?"

"No, thank you. I'm not really hungry." Haley replies, looking around the kitchen. She begins to panic when she can't see them.

"Oh my god…the kids…Nathan, where are the kids?"

"Haley…" Nathan can see her beginning to panic and tries to stop her, but Haley continues.

"No, Nathan…the kids, where are they? Cooper! Katie!"

"Haley!" Nathan gets a hold of her with the help of his brother. "No, Haley, stop! Cooper and Katie are fine. They're in the backyard."

"Alone? You left them alone?"

She rushes to the sliding glass back door, but stops and breathes when she sees Cooper step inside, followed by Peyton holding Katie.

Right away, she hugs her son close and he says, "Mom…mom, it's okay. I'm right here. We're here."

Crying, Haley releases her son and puts a hand on her forehead as everyone in the house watch her with sympathy and worry.

"Haley, it's okay." Nathan says, touching her shoulder, hoping she'll let him in.

"No…it's not." She cries. "Why did this happen? I don't understand…where is he? Where's my baby? Why was he taken from us? God…it's my fault. I left him alone…I shouldn't have left him alone."

"No, Haley, don't do this to yourself again." Nathan says, worrying for his wife. "It's not your fault."

"No, it is my fault, Nathan!" She shouts back, unable to control her tears now. "I left him alone in the backyard for five minutes and he took him. Don't you see? _I _lost our son. It's my fault he's gone…it's my fault he took him and it's my fault we don't know where he is or why the police can't find him."

"Haley," Nathan's stepfather, Robert Stevens, steps up closer to his daughter-in-law and says, "You mustn't blame yourself-"

"No…I can't…I'm sorry." She says before running down the hall and back upstairs.

"_Mommy, look at how fast Rocket can run!" James said excitedly as he ran with his dog across the backyard. _

_Haley watched from the porch deck while she held her daughter and she smiled and said, "Yea, he is really fast. I guess Rocket is the best name for him, huh?"_

_"Yea, and I'm glad uncle Lucas gave us the idea." James replied as he stopped to throw a tennis ball across the yard. "Okay, Rocket, fetch!"_

_Haley watched a minute longer before she asked, "James, sweetie, can you play with Rocket by yourself for a few minutes while I take your sister upstairs and put her down for a nap?"_

_"Sure, Mom. Go ahead. I'll be okay. I'm a big boy, remember?"_

_Haley chuckled as she entered the house through the backdoor in the kitchen/ She peeked in the living room and saw Cooper still playing his video games. She continued down the hall and upstairs with Katie._

_"Okay, Katie May." Haley said as she lifted her daughter off the changing table after changing her diaper. "Are you ready for your nap now?"_

_"No!" Katie answered while Haley carried her over to the crib._

_Haley chuckled as she laid her baby in the white crib with pink crib bed set and border and she said, "You only know three words and you use 'no' more than 'momma' and 'dada'."_

_Katie smiled and said, "No!"_

_Haley laughed before she said, "Sleep tight, baby."_

_She turned on the monitor and left the nursery. When she returned to the living room, she said to Cooper, "Coop, honey, its time for lunch. Could you please go get your brother?"_

_"Sure, Mom." Cooper replied, pausing his PlayStation 2 racing game._

_"Thanks, baby." Haley said, touching her son's dark head as he ran past her toward the back door. Haley returned a laundry basket to the laundry room off the kitchen._

_She returned to the kitchen as Cooper entered the house again._

_"Mom," he said with a worried look on his face. "Jamie isn't out there."_

_"What?" Haley responds with a tone of disbelief and worry as she walked up to Cooper. "What do you mean he's not out there? I just saw him a few minutes ago."_

_"I don't know, but Rocket is gone too."_

_Haley rushes outside, followed by Cooper and she looks all around the yard._

_"James!" She shouts, growing more scared. "James Lucas Scott, you come out here right now!"_

_She continued looking, but still could not find him. She stopped when she noticed the unlatched gate._

_"Oh my god…" she whispers to herself as she ran out to the driveway. She found his stuffed dog toy on the pavement. She picked up, then turned to her eldest son and said, "Cooper, go inside and call your dad at work."_

_"Mom, maybe he's just next door with-"_

_"Now, Cooper! Go!"_

_Cooper ran inside while Haley ran up to the neighbor's front porch and rang the bell. A blond woman the same height as her answered the door._

"_Hey, Annie, did-"_

_"Oh, hi Haley." The woman greeted wit ha smile. "How-"_

_"Did James bring Rocket over here to play with Zack?" Haley interrupted out of breath from running so fast._

_"No." Annie replied, her smile gone. "Zack is with his dad today."_

_Haley covered her mouth as she began to cry and her neighbor asked, "Haley, what's wrong? What happened?"_

_"James…he, um…" Haley began to hyperventilate as she stepped away fro the door and Annie followed her outside. "He was…playing with…the dog…and I…had to…put Katie…down for a nap…and now…he's gone."_

_"What?" Annie gasped. "Well, is he in the tree house?"_

_"No." Haley replied, trying to calm herself down. "I called him and he would've come, but he didn't."_

_"Okay, honey." Annie rubbed Haley's back and continued, "Maybe he just wandered off."_

_"No, the police…I need to call the police."_

_"I'll do that." Annie offered. "You keep looking, keep calling him."_

_Annie ran back inside, leaving Haley standing in her yard, screaming her little boy's name…_

Haley cries into the pillow on her bed as she remembers that day…the worst day of her life. A few minutes later, Nathan enters the room and sits next to her on the bed.

"Haley…" he says slowly.

"I don't want to talk about it." Haley responds.

"Well, I think you need to…I think we need to."

She turns around and faces him.

"I can't Nathan." She whispers. "It hurts too much. It hurts not knowing where he is or what happened or why someone would do this, especially him. It hurts so much to not be able to see my son and hold him in my arms and tell him how much I love him. I just want him back, Nathan."

"I know, Haley." Nathan says as she lays her head on his shoulder. "I want to hold him too. I want so much to see him smile and hear him laugh or hear him tell those jokes that make absolutely no sense, but still crack everyone up."

Haley cries harder as Nathan speaks about their son.

"I know how much you miss him, Haley, how much you want him back. I know, because I do too."

Haley looks up at Nathan, who looks down at her. She sits up, sniffles and says, "I'm sorry, Nathan."

"Sorry for what?" Nathan asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry for getting so angry at you this morning and downstairs when I thought you'd left the kids alone. I was just upset and I didn't know what to do, so I took it out on you and I shouldn't have."

"It's okay, Haley. I understand. But when you feel angry or sad or guilty, I need you to talk to me because I want to help you get through this so that I can get through this too."

"Okay." Haley agrees before kissing her husband. After the kiss, Nathan says, "You know I love you, right? I love you so much, Haley."

"I know." Haley says. "I love you too."

At the same time, Nathan and Haley embrace and hold each other tight.


	6. Chapter 6: Rob's Promise

**Chapter Six: **_Rob's Promise_

_Deb pulled her dark SUV in front of her son's house and quickly climbed out and ran up the drive and the walk to the front door. Without knocking or ringing the bell, Deb entered the house and turned right into the living room where her husband, the Chief of Police and several other officers were talking with Nathan and Haley, who were both very upset. She hurried over to hug them both while one officer continued to question Haley._

_"How long would you say it took you to notice your son had disappeared from the yard?"_

_Haley sniffled and replied, "I don't know…five…ten minutes, maybe."_

_"And in those ten minutes you-"_

"_I told you twice already," Haley interrupted, growing even more upset. "I left James in the backyard to play with his dog while I took my daughter upstairs to put her down for a nap. Then I left some clothes in my son's room, before coming back downstairs to call James in for lunch. And-"_

_Haley began to cry again and she leans against Nathan in his black police uniform. Nathan spoke to his stepfather, "Please, don't ask her to tell you what happened again. Can we just get focused on finding my son?"_

_"We've already got squads looking for him, Nathan." Rob said. "Now we're just trying to understand what happened."_

_"Our son was kidnapped!" Haley screamed. "What else is there to understand?"_

_Rob sighed and spoke again, "I'm sorry. You both know I want to find James as much as you do. But we cannot find him until we have an understanding of who you know who could possibly be involved."_

_As Rob explained this, Nathan, Deb and Haley grew the same scared look on their faces._

_"Now, do you know-" Rob continued, but Haley gasped, "Oh my god." As she covered her mouth._

_Nathan and Deb finished her thought in unison, "Dan."_

_And right away, Rob understood._

Deb enters her home and enters the kitchen, where her stepson enters from the hall.

"Hey Mom." Tyler says when he sees her.

"Hey Ty." She replies wit ha smile." You know, I really do love hearing you call me mom, since I love you as much as I love Nathan."

"Well, I love calling you, Mom." Tyler says, also smiling. "You deserve the title as you're a way better mom than my mother was to me."

"Awe, thank you honey." Deb says before hugging him.

"So, how are Nathan and Haley doing?" Tyler asks after the hug.

"Not so great." Deb sighs. "They're still having a pretty rough time of it. Haley had a breakdown today when she thought Nathan left Coop and Katie alone. She's still blaming herself for what happened."

"Man…I wish I could do something to make this easier for them."

"We all do, honey. But the only thing that's going to make things easier for them is to find James. And to find James, we'll have to find Dan."

"I'm working on that." Rob speaks as he enters the kitchen the same way his son had.

"Hey Dad." Tyler says as Rob walks over to kiss Deb.

"Hey, son." Rob says as he wraps an arm around Dan's shoulder. "Where are you off to tonight?"

"I have a date with Jenny." Tyler answers as he snatches his car keys off the counter. "I promised her I'd go over and help her baby sit Anna and Riley while her parents go out for their anniversary."

"Um, did you clear that with Peyton and Jake first?" Deb asks.

"Of course. They love me."

Rob and Deb both smile and as Tyler is heading for the door, Rob says, "Drive careful, and call if you're going to be later than 12:30."

"I will." Tyler promises before closing the door behind him.

"So, how about a sandwich?" Deb offers, walking over to the fridge.

Rob sits on a stool in front of the counter and replies, "Oh, I'd love one."

As she begins preparing two hams, cheese and mayo sandwiches, Deb question her husband.

"So, any new information today?"

"I really wish I could say there were." Her husband begins. "But everything remains the same. Police in other states and areas have been sent the Missing flyer for both James and Dan, but still no one has sighted them."

Deb passes Rob his sandwich and begins on hers.

"Well, I'm sure he still has all that money he schemed out of illegal car sales." She says. "So he's probably using that to pay people off and keep them from turning him in. And if he is…who knows how long it'll be before they find him."

"Well, he'll run out of money eventually. But I love that little boy as much as my other grandchildren. And I made Nathan and Haley a promise that I wouldn't give up looking until I found him…and I don't plan on breaking that promise."


	7. Chapter 7: Life Goes On

**Chapter Seven: **_Life Goes On_

_"Brooke, I'm home!" Lucas said as he entered his home and closed the door. "Brooke…where are you?"_

_There was still no answer, so Lucas walked upstairs and entered their master bedroom just as Brooke left the bathroom._

_"Oh, hi." She said when she saw him. "You're home."_

_"Yep." Lucas said as he walked over and kissed her lips. Then, he stood and stared at her. "Brooke…what's wrong? What's going on?"_

_"Nothing." Brooke replied at once._

_"No, there's something." Lucas disagreed. "You've got that 'I've got something to tell you and I'm afraid to' look on your face. So what is it?"_

_Brooke stared back at him a few seconds longer before answering quietly, "I'm pregnant."_

_It took a minute for her words to hit Lucas, but when they did, he smiled and said, "Really? Wow…you're really pregnant?"_

_Brooke nodded and showed him the test she held in her hands and she said, "I took three tests…they all turned out positive."_

_"Well, this is a good thing, right? I mean ,we said we wanted kids someday."_

_"I know and I do. I'm just…surprised. We weren't even trying to get pregnant yet and it happened."_

_"I guess life just sneaks up on you like that." Lucas said, making Brooke smile. "Look, it's going to be okay, babe. We're both graduated from college now and have great jobs. I'd say this pregnancy came at just the right time, wouldn't you?"_

_Brooke thought a moment, smiled and said, "Yeah, I guess it did. And now…we're going to be parents. It's unbelievable."_

_"Yeah, but it's good too. We're going to have a baby."_

_Brooke's smile grew wider and she said said more happily, "We're going to have a baby!"_

_"Yes!" Lucas laughed as he lifted Brooke into the air with a hug._

"Lucas, wake up…Lucas!" Brooke says as she races from the bathroom to the bed. "Baby, wake up."

Lucas moans as he opens his eyes.

"What is it, babe?" He grumbles.

"Look." Brooke says wit ha wider smile as she holds out something in her hands.

Lucas sits up and looks at what she holds in her hands.

"What is it?"

"It's a pregnancy test, Luke." She says, handing it to him. "And it's positive. I'm pregnant."

Lucas looks back at Brooke and says, "Are you sure?"

"Well, not a hundred percent, but pretty close. I've felt different and sort of sick the last week or so since I've been late."

"How many tests have you taken?"

"Only this one, but I've got an appointment this afternoon to find out for sure. Aren't you excited?"

"Yeah, of course I am." Lucas says, stroking her arm. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up before you know for sure."

"Don't worry, Luke. I have a really good feeling this time."

"Well, then…I can't wait."

"Please, Dad…why can't I go?" Jenny asks as she follows her father through the house to her little brother's bedroom.

"Because I said no." Jake says as he lifts his two year old into his crib. "Okay, Riley, nap time. Sleep tight."

"Come on, that's not a reason." Jenny says as they both leave the bedroom, Jake closing the door. "I really want to go to this party."

"I'm sorry, Jenny." Jake says as they return to the living room. "But I don't think you're old enough for a high school party by yourself."

"What? Are you kidding? I'm fifteen. I'm totally old enough for a high school party. Besides, I wasn't planning on going alone. Tyler, Brit and Chris are going too."

"Oh, yeah, now I definitely want to send you off to a party at the beach, at night with your boyfriend and friends with their boyfriends. I don't think so."

The front door opens and Peyton enters, holding a blond, curly hair, blue eyed little girl in her arms.

"Oh my gosh, Mom." Jenny says as Peyton walks nearer to them and kisses Jake. "Thank God you're here."

"Why? What's going on?" Peyton asks as she passes her daughter to Jake.

"Nothing." Jake says as Anna lays her head on his shoulder. "We've already settled it. I said no, Jenny, and I mean no."

"Ugh…." Jenny growls, turning and walking back down the hall toward her room, "I hate you!"

"What else is new?" Jake sighs as Jenny slams her door.

"What was that about?" Peyton wonders as she throws her keys on the end table.

"The same thing she's been bugging us about all weekend."

"Right…the party. She'll get over it."

"I know." Jake sighs again. "I'm just tired of her attitude."

Peyton chuckles and Jake asks, "So, what did the doctor say about Anna?"

"It's just an ear infection like we thought." Peyton replies. "All kids her age get them. He prescribed some antibiotics and said to keep her home from daycare for a few days."

"Poor baby." Jake says, as he rubs Anna's back. "She's tired too."

"Yeah, she is. She could probably use a nap."

"I'll go put her down."

The bell chimes on the door as Lucas enters the café. He spots his sister, Kelcee, writing in a notebook at the counter and bopping her head to music from her iPod. He smiles as he sneaks up behind her.

"Hey!" He says as he tickles her hips, making her jump.

"Oh my god, Luke, you scared me!" Kelcee says as she pulls off her headphones. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Because it was so easy." Lucas replies as he sits on the stool next to her. "And watch your Mouth."

"Why?"

"You're too young to be using adult words."

"Chill out, Luke, I'm twelve. I hear words far worse than _hell _everyday."

"Right." Lucas snickers.

"I do. People around me use shit, damn, and fu-"

"Hey, hey, that's enough." Lucas interrupts. "Why do you have to be such a smart ass all the time?"

"I think I get it from you." Kelcee smiles and Lucas laughs.

"Very funny."

"I know. I'm hilarious, right? So, where's Brooke and Jess?"

"Oh, Brooke had some running around to do and Jess wanted to go with her. Where's mom and Keith?"

"Where do you think?" Kelcee looks over at the back room entrance. "Making out in the kitchen. It's so disgusting."

"It's not disgusting. They're in love. You should be grateful…if they didn't love each other as much as they do, you wouldn't be here today."

"Good point." Keith says as he and Karen return to the front of the café. "Hey, Luke."

"Hey, Keith." Lucas says, slapping his hand and pulling him into a hug. "Hi, Mom."

"Hi, honey." Karen says, smiling. "Are you hungry?"

"No, thanks." I just ate with Brooke and Jess before I left. I just stopped by to see you and talk to Keith. You want to take a walk?"

"Sure."

Before going outside, Lucas hugs his mom and sister goodbye. Then, he follows Keith outside.

"So what's up?" Keith wonders with his hands in his jean pockets as he walks next to his adoptive son.

"Well, I kind of need some advice." Lucas replies.

"Okay, about what?"

"Nathan and Haley. I keep watching them fall through the cracks everyday while they wait for news about James. And it's breaking my heart because I feel like I'm failing as a brother. I feel like I should be doing something to make my brother and Haley feel better, but I don't know what to do."

"Well, to be honest Luke, nothing's going to make Nathan and Haley feel better other than seeing his son again."

"I know. But isn't there something I could do to help him through this…let him know I'm there for him, really there for him?"

"Maybe." Keith states as he stops and thinks. "You could try to get him out of the house more. And maybe get him to talk. That will definitely show Nathan you're there for him and wanting to help him work through everything."

"Yeah…yeah, that's a good idea. Maybe I should try it on Haley too."

Lucas walks up the stairs when he enters his home through the front door. He opens the door to the first bedroom, across from the stairs. He walks inside and over to his daughter's bed. He smiles at how innocent she looks when she's asleep.

She is the most beautiful little girl in the world and she's the spitting image of Brooke. He loves being a dad and loves being a husband to Brooke and he couldn't wait to have another child with her. Lucas kneels down at the bed and pulls the blankets higher over her small body. Then, he kisses her head and whispers, "Sweet dream, Jess. Daddy loves you."

He leaves the room and continues down the hall to his and Brooke's master bedroom. When he enters the room, the bathroom door is closed.

"Brooke, I'm home!" He says loudly so she can hear.

"I'll be out in a minute." Brooke says from the bathroom.

Lucas pulls of his shoes and shirt while he waits, leaving himself dressed in his jeans and a white undershirt.

"Hey, so how'd the appointment go today." He asks just as Brooke opens the door.

Lucas looks up and notices the somber look on her face.

"I'm guessing it didn't go well?"

Brooke plops down next to him on the bed.

"It didn't go." She says sadly. "I canceled the appointment. I don't need to."

Lucas rubs her back and says, "Oh, I'm sorry baby. I know how excited you were about this."

Crying now, Brooke says, "I was excited about nothing. You were right…I shouldn't have given my hopes up. I feel so stupid."

"Don't sweetie, don't feel stupid. It's perfectly understandable why you thought you were pregnant. You want a baby and when the first sign that you might be pregnant showed up, you believed in it. That's natural."

"I really want another one, Luke. I want another baby. I don't understand why this is so hard for us this time. I mean ,we got pregnant with Jessilin without even trying."

Lucas thinks for a minute and says, "Well, then maybe we shouldn't try so hard. Maybe we should just let time and nature decide when it's time for us to have another baby."

"Maybe…" Brooke nods her head. "But what is timing isn't the issue?"

"What do you mean?" Lucas asks, looking confused.

"Lucas…what if there's something wrong with me…or with you? What if-"

"Brooke, there's nothing wrong-"

"But how do you know that? How do we know that? Only a doctor can tell us there's nothing wrong."

Lucas only stares and feels as scared and worried as Brooke.


	8. Chapter 8: You Are My Sunshine

**Chapter Eight: **_You Are My Sunshine_

"You are my sunshine…" Haley sang as she sat on the porch swing next to James in the backyard. "Come on, Jamie, sing with mommy."

_"Okay." James agreed with a small embarrassed smile._

_"You are my sunshine…"he joined Haley in song. "my only sunshine…you make me happy, when skies are gray…you'll never know dear, how much I love you…so please don't take my sunshine away."_

_"…away." James finished._

_Haley chuckled, hugged her son and said, "Very good."_

_"I like that song, Mommy." James said, smiling again. "You sing petty."_

_"Awe…thank you. You've got a good singing voice too."_

_"Where did you learn that song, Mama?" James wondered as he stared up at his mother._

_"Well, as a matter of fact, my mom taught me that song when I was little too. She used to sing it to me every night before I went to sleep. And when she taught me how to sing it, do you know what she told me?"_

_"What?" He asked, intrigued by her story._

_"She said that could always remember her by that song. And if she was ever far away from me or me away from her, then I could sing the song and she'd be right there beside me. And now I'm telling you the same thing. If there is ever a time when we're not together and you miss me, you just sing this song and I'll be right there…right by your side and you can feel better. I'll always be with you, Jamie. I'll always love you."_

_James smiled and hugged mommy and said, "I'll always love you too."_

James wanders through the apartment, heading for his room wit hhis dog trailing behind him. He passes an open door and stops when he sees Dan writing at his desk. He walks inside and plops down on a footstool.

"I thought I told you to go play on the patio with the dog." Dan says, still focusing on writing.

"There's nothing to do out there." James replies. "Besides, that patio is too scary. It's too high and mommy doesn't like me playing on edges like that."

"But it is okay because I'm here and I'm watching you."

"But you're not my dad." James states and Dan looks up. "Can't we go to the park and play baseball or somethin' My daddy always taked me and Coop and Katie to the park on Saturdays."

"Sorry, son, I'm busy."

"I'm not your son. Your not my dad." James says and Dan gives him a warning look. _Oh, he is too much like Nathan already. _

James fears the look and changes the subject. "How about you just take me home, then?"

" No, James. We're not going back home."

James pouts and says, "But you said you would take me back home on my birthday for to see my mom and dad 'cause I really miss them and my brother and sister and I know they miss me too."

Dan finally stops writing and turns his chair to face James.

"James, son, I should tell you something." He says.

"What?"

"I know you miss your mom and dad…but the truth is, they don't miss you."

James stares in disbelief and wit ha quivering, quiet voice he says, "Yes the ydo."

"No, they don't. I mean, if they missed you, don't you think they would've called you by now? Or visited you?"

James considers these things and reasons, "Well, they probably don't know the phone number or where we are. Maybe we could call –"

"James, James…" Dan says, stopping him from picking up Dan's cell phone. "Listen to me, son…they do have the phone number. They just haven't used it. Who knows…maybe they'll use it soon. But I wouldn't count on it."

Dan stares at his grandson, who is so much like his real son, so much like Nathan. But James is too hopeful still. But Dan is working on that…working on making him believe he is a better father for him than his real father. If Keith did it for Lucas so many years ago, he could surely do it for James now, right? James will get over it soon…he'll forget about Nathan and Haley eventually. After all, two months had already past and he has finally gotten James to start believing everything he told him. And in just a few more months, he was sure he could get James to realize that he, Dan, cares more about him than anyone else in Tree Hill.

"But I really miss them." James says with teary eyes.

"I know, son." Dan says, touching James's shoulder. "But I'm here for you…I love you."

Dan stares only a few seconds longer before he turns back around and returns to his writing. James stands up and leaves the room, immediately running down to his bedroom and throwing himself on his bed. He cries into his pillow and Rocket walks up and licks his hand. James lifts his head and sits up to pet the dog.

"I really miss them, Rocket." He says. "Even if they don't miss me."

James closes his eyes and begins to hum. And lsowly, his hum grows louder and turns into words. Rocket lays his head on James' lap as he sings.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy…when skies are gray…you'll never know Mom how much I miss you…please don't take my sunshine away."

"Hmm…" He cries and tears fall fast from his cheeks as he says. "Please don't forget me…please…"


	9. Chapter 9: The Blame Game

**Chapter Nine: **_The Blame Game_

Haley smiled as she watched her son run back and forth in the yard. He would stop at one end and throw a tennis ball for the dog to fetch. When the dog returned with the ball, James would continue running. Haley laughed when she saw the dog knock James down and lick his face, which made him giggle.

_Haley looked down at her daughter who was falling asleep in her arms._

_"Uh, oh, "she said. "We'd better put you down for your nap, huh?"_

_She stood up from her chair and called out to her son, "Jamie, honey…I'll be back in a few minutes. I have to take Katie upstairs and put her down for a nap."_

_"Okay, Momma." James houted back to her. "Go ahead. I'll be oaky by myself."_

"_Okay, but stay in the yard." Haley reminded before entering the screened in porch. When she enters the kitchen, she finds James standing in front of her._

_"Whoa, James…" she notices his wet cheeks and swollen red eyes and continues worriedly. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"_

_"Please don't take my sunshine away." She heard him sing quietly. He sniffled and said, "I miss you, Mommy. Please don't forget me…I'm waiting for you…please…"_

_Then he disappears before Haley's eyes and she calls out to him again, "James…Jamie, come back! Tell me where to find you. Don't leave me James, please! Help me find you, please…"_

Haley wakes immediately. She looks over at Nathan, still fast asleep. Then, she thinks about James and the dream again.

_"Please don't forget me, mommy." _He had said. _"I'm waiting for you."_

Tears form in her eyes again and she whispers to herself, "God, where are you James? I know you're alive, I can feel you in my heart, but I need to find you. Where did he take you?"

Haley thinks again and she sniffles and says, "I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry I left you alone. But I promise…I'm going to find you. I'm never going to forget you…I promise."

And she climbs out of bed and walks over to the bathroom, enters and closes the door. Nathan rolls over and stares at where his wife had been moments ago. He sighs and says, "I promise too, buddy. I'll never forget you, never. And I'm sorry I let him take you."

Nathan too climbs out of bed and leaves the room.

Haley pushes the stroller into the Tree Hill Police Station and up to the front desk.

"Oh, hey Haley." An officer at the desk says. "Are you looking for Nathan?"

"Haley." Rob says as he comes up from behind her. "It's nice to see you out of the house."

Haley gives him a small smile as he hugs her. After the hug, he looks down in the stroller, smiles and says, "And hello to you too, miss Katie Mae."

He looks back up at his daughter-in-law and says, "You know Nathan has the day off today, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Bit I need to talk to you…" Haley replies. "About James."

Rob nods his head and says, "Okay…come on."

He leads her to his office and she sits in a chair, facing Rob in his desk, with the stroller next to her.

"Haley…" Rob begins. "Nathan would be the first to know if there were any news about Jamie or Dan."

"I know." Haley says. "But I can't stand just sitting at home waiting for news anymore. It's too painful and it's driving me crazy. I keep reliving that day and I keep having these dreams of James appearing in front of me, crying before he disappears again. And this pain…this guilt is too much."

"Haley, you have nothing to feel guilty about. What happened…it isn't your fault."

"Please…don't say that again. Nothing will change how I am feeling. Dan kidnapped him, yes, but I am the one who let him go because I wasn't out there watching him and I should've been. I never let him play outside alone before, not even in the yard. But I did that day. I could've saved him. I could've kept that bastard from taking him…and I failed."

"You didn't fail."

"No, I did. You know, Nathan's been doing everything right, being strong and helping to look, while I mope around at home. I failed in my duty as a mother to him when I let Dan take him and I've been failing by not looking for him. But I'm not going to fail anymore. I'm not going to fail my son again."

Haley is waiting at the kitchen tale when Nathan arrives home through the garage door.

"Hey." Nathan says when he sees her and she stands up. She walks over to him and they kiss.

"Where are the kids?" Nathan asks afterward.

"Asleep."

"Coop too? It's summer and barely after ten."

"I think he was tired. Listen, um…can we talk about something?"

"Of course." Nathan says before they sit down at the table. "What's up?"

Haley sighs and begins. "I had another dream about James last night. I was, um…I was watching him play in the yard with the dog. Then, I was walking inside with Katie and when I got to the kitchen, he was standing in front of me crying. He begged me to find him and to not forget him."

Haley breathes in and out deeply and Nathan puts his hand on hers on the table and says, "I'm sorry, Haley."

"I'm sorry too." She replies softly. "I'm sorry I've failed him. He thinks I'm forgetting about him…he's waiting for me to look for him, to find him and rescue him and I'm failing him."

"You're not, Haley. Look…it was just a dream."

"No, it wasn't. It was more than that. It was…I don't know, so real like…like he was coming to me in the dream, trying to get me to stop crying and start looking."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean…I need to get out there with you and start looking for him instead of just sitting at home, waiting.

"But you don't even know where to—"

"But I know my son, and I know he's somewhere. I can feel him in my heart. I just have to follow my instincts and his voice."

She stands up and Nathan follows as he asks, "Well, what are they telling you?"

"They're telling me…that, I think, maybe…I need to go down to Florida and look for him. Something really big inside of me is pushing me in that direction."

"Florida? You…alone? Haley…I understand how you're feeling and where you're coming from, honestly, I do, but…I really don't think you going down to some strange state to look for a kidnapper is such a good idea. There's nothing to go on."

"I don't care. Something tells me that that is where I need to be in order to find him."

"It's too dangerous, Haley."

"Oh, stop thinking like a cop, Nathan! That doesn't matter to me. I—"

"It matters to me, Haley. And I'm not thinking like a cop, I'm thinking like a husband and a father. I don't want anything to happen to you too."

"Well, what about James, Nathan? It's too dangerous for our son to be alone with that sick, evil twisted man. Doesn't finding him matter to you?"

"You know it does. But you can't just take off down to Florida by yourself. This is not the way to do it."

"Then tell me hoe, Nathan!" Haley begins to cry. "How do I make up for what I did? How do I find him?"

"I don't know how, Haley!" Nathan shouts back. "But I do know that you _have_ to stop blaming yourself for what happened."

"I can't. It's my fau—"

"No, it's not your fault! It's my fault!" Nathan joins his wife in tears. She stares at him as he continues. "Dan never would have taken James if it weren't for me."

They both remain quiet only a moment before Nathan explains further.

"I saw Dan that day, Haley. He came to see me and I told him to leave. I told him to disappear again, but I never expected he would take our son with him… Nathan cries as he remembers and finally shares his guilt with Haley…

_"Yeah, sure. Sounds great." Nathan spoke through the phone while sitting in his deak at the police station. "I'll talk to Haley when I get home. Thanks for calling, Luke. I'll talk to you later."_

_He puts the phone back on the cradle with a smile. He stopped smiling when he looked up and saw his father sitting on the other side of the desk._

_"What the hell are you doing here?" _

_"It's nice to see you too, son." Dan replied._

_"I'm not your son. I haven't been for years."_

" _Dan did not reply to Nathan's comment, but instead said, "So, a cop huh? You could've been the best in the NBA and gave it all up for a family life and a career with no glory?"_

_"Oh, no…I've still got glory. I've got glory in the eyes of my wife and my kids and in the city whe I help put trach like you away."_

_They stared at each other, Dan with a smirk on his face._

_"So what are you doing back here, Dan?" Nathan asked. "We were all so hopeful you'd left for good."_

_"I just took a little vacation."_

_"What? For seven years? I don't think so. What do you want?"_

_Dan lowered his head and then looked up at Nathan and said, "I want a second chance to be a better man. I know it's too late for us, but I was hoping youm ight let me start over with my grandchildren and let me show them the love I now realize I forgot to show you and your brother."_

_"You're kidding, right?" Nathan said. "You want to spend time with my kids? What for? So you can abuse them emotionally like you did Lucas and me? Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe you and allow you to hurt them like you hurt me?"_

_"I'm not the same man anymore, Nathan. I've really been reflecting on my past and my life these years I've been away and I've changed Nathan…I really have."_

_"Yeah, right." Nathan snaped. "Likely story. You can't really expect me to believe you. Once a liar and an ass, always a liar and an ass. And I don't want you anywhere near my kids, and I'm sure Lucas doesn't want you around Jessi either. So you really shouldn't have come back. Nobody misses you and nobody cares about your 'I'm a changed man' speech. We've heard it too many times to take it seriously. We're all happier and better off without you. You're nothing to us now and you never will be anything and the best thing that could happen is if you disappeared off the face of the planet and we would never have to see or hear from you again."_

_Dan was quiet, seemingly hurt. But then he stood up and turned to leave. Before walking away, he looked back at Nathan and said, "I'll disappear, Nathan. I'll live with my regrets and I won't come back…but you'll have regrets too when I don't return."_

_"I doubt it."_

_And Nathan watched as he left through the front doors…_

Tears still stream down Nathan's cheeks as he says to Haley, "And less than an hour later, Cooper was calling me and telling me James was missing. I didn't think he would…but I should've known…I should've known."

"Nathan…" Haley whispers as she moves closer to him. "Why didn't you tell me about this before. Why have you been keeping it all bottled up?"

"Because you were already hurting so much…you still are. I didn't want you to deal with my pain too. I didn't want you to be more angry at me than you already are."

"Nathan, I—"

"Haley, it's… I don't think I can argue about this any more tonight. I'm kind of tired, so I think I want to go to bed."

He kisses her head and walks down the hal, turning left for the stairs. Haley stands alone in the kitchen, realizing Nathan's heart has been aching just as much as hers…possibly even more.


	10. Chapter 10: In a Flash

**Chapter Ten: **_In a Flash_

"You're almost there now, Brooke. The head is out, but we need one more big push."

_Sweating and breathing deeply, Brooke shook her head and said, "No, I can't…I can't push anymore."_

_"Yes, you can, babe." Lucas said while he stood at her side, letting her squeeze his hand. "You can do it."_

_"No, I can't. It hurts and I'm tired…so tired. Damn you for doing this to me."_

_"I know it hurts, babe, and I know you're tired." Lucas stroked Brooke's head as he spoke. "And I would do this for you if I could, but I can't. All you need is one last push and we'll finally have our baby."_

_"I'm scared, Lucas." Brooke whispered with tears._

""_I know, baby. I'm scared too. But it's going to be okay. I promise."_

_He kisses her lips and the doctor said, "Come on, Brooke. This baby is ready to meet you."_

_"Come on, babe." Lucas said. "You can do it."_

_She squeezed his hand harder and pushed again._

_"That's it…excellent, Brooke…baby's coming…"_

_Brooke rested back on her pillow when she felt the baby leave her body._

_"Beautiful…" the doctor said as she wiped the baby's face and held her up for Brooke and Lucas to see. "You have a beautiful baby girl, mom and dad."_

_"It's a girl?" Brooke said as she smiled and the doctor passed the baby to the nurses._

_Lucas smiled back at her and repeated, "It's a girl."_

_He kissed her head and then said, "We have a daughter, a beautiful little girl."_

_The nurse walks back over and lays the new baby, wrapped in a pink blanket, in Brooke's arms._

_"Oh, Lucas…she's so cute." Brooke said as she stared admiringly at her new daughter. "Look at how tiny she is."_

_"She's amazing." Lucas said with wet eyes as he stroked the baby's cheek with two fingers. He looked back at Brooke and said. "She looks just like her mom."_

_Brooke smiled at him before kissing him. Then, Lucas said, "I'm proud of you, Pretty Girl. You did really great."_

_"I love you." Brooke said before kissing him again._

"Brooke…Brooke…" Lucas whispers in his wife's ears before kissing her cheek.

Brooke opens her eyes and smiles at her husband.

"Good morning." She says.

" 'Morning, babe. I just wanted to let you know I was leaving."

"Where are you going? We have a doctor's appointment today."

"I know, but Nathan called and said he needed to talk. I'm meeting him for breakfast before going to the school to start setting up my classroom. I'll meet you at the doctor's office."

"Okay."

"Do you want me to take Jess with me?"

"No. I'm meeting Peyton and the kids in a little while. Then, your mom and Keith are watching her for us."

"Okay, well, I'm going to go then. I'll see you later?"

"Yep."

Lucas kisses her and she says, "I love you" before he leaves.

Haley rolls over in bed and opens her eyes. She notices the bed is empty next to her and she sits up. She looks over at her clock on the nightstand and notices a folded piece of paper sitting there. She picks it up and reads:

**_Haley,_**

_**I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to walk away like I did, but I didn't want to cry in front of you anymore. I want to be; I need to be the strong one for you and the kids and especially for James. I'm meeting Lucas for breakfast and just clearing my head for a bit, but Ill be home later this afternoon and maybe we can try talking about it again. I love you, Haley…always and forever.**_

_**Nathan**_

Haley sighs as she folds the paper again and leaves it on her bed. She lifts her hands to her forehead and worries again for James and Nathan. Then, her daughter cries on the monitor and she leaves the bedroom for Katie's down the hall.

"Nate, that's a pretty big thing to keep buried inside all this time." Lucas says while sitting across from Nathan at a table by the window in Karen's Café. "Why keep it to yourself?"

Nathan responds after a few seconds of thought. "Punishment, I think. When I learned James was missing and realizing it was Dan who took him, it hit me that it was my fault because I sent Dan away. I told him to disappear and he did…only he took my son with him/"

"Nathan, you couldn't have known Dan was going to take James." Lucas says, leaning forward in his seat. "How were you supposed to know that? You weren't…you couldn't have…no one could."

"But maybe I could've stopped this from happening. Maybe, if I had just given him what he wanted and let him visit the kids, then—"

"No, you did the right thing, Nate. You protected your kids from him."

"Not all of them, not James. I couldn't protect him. How am I supposed to live with this, Luke? I let Dan take my son and now I don't even know where they are. And it's killing me, tearing Haley apart and hurting my family. I just…I don't know to do. I don't know how to fix this."

Lucas sighs and says, "There isn't anything you've done that needs to be fixed. Dan taking Jamie…it just happened. But the police are going to find him, Nate, and then everything will be okay."

"That's another screwed up thing…I _am _the police. So how come I haven't found him yet?"

Lucas is quiet, feeling sympathetic and wishing there were something more he could do to make Nathan understand that what happened wasn't his fault. But he knows how stubborn his brother is and he knows that nothing will make Nathan feel better than to have James home and Dan in prison.

He glances at his watch, then looks back at his brother and says, "Look, Nate, I have to get to the school, but if you want to talk more about this—"

"No, Luke, it's okay. I'm good now, really. I think I just needed to vent a little."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, man. I think I'm going to take a walk and visit my mom…get my mind off this for awhile."

"Okay. But how about you meet me and the guys down at the River Court later?"

"I don't know, man, I—"

"Come on, Nate. Playing basketball always clears your mind. Maybe taking a break from all this is exactly what you need.

Nathan nods his head in consideration and says, "Okay. Maybe you're right. Count me in."

"Good." Lucas says as he stands up from the table, throwing his half of the bill and tip down. "Brooke and I have an appointment this afternoon, but I'll call you when I'm done."

"Okay. Thanks Luke."

Lucas touches his brother's shoulder and replies, "Of course. I'm your brother…you can always come to me."

He continues toward the door, but hollers back to the table before leaving.

"Hey Nathan…"

Nathan turns around and Lucas finishes, "It's going to be okay…you'll see."

"So I guess Anna is feeling better." Brooke says as she stands across from Peyton, pushing Riley in a swing from the front while Peyton pushes from behind.

Peyton glances at the play yard, where he daughter and Brooke's are attempting to climb back up the slide after sliding down. She smiles, looks back at Brooke and says, "Yeah…I'm so glad too. Poor little girl is so…not herself when she's sick. And with her sick the past week, it's been crazy at home, especially with Jake and Jenny tearing each other's heads off about every little thing."

"Ah…so the teenager Jenny has finally revealed itself, huh?" Brooke says with a smile.

"Higher, Momma!" Riley shouts as Brooke pushes him back to Peyton. "Higher!"

"I don't know what has set off this attitude of hers, "Peyton says, pushing her son in the swing again. "But Jake and I are really getting tired of it. We're both exhausted from work and chores and the kids…it's just so exhausting. I just don't understand where this attitude came from. Before high school. She used to be so nice and helpful all the time, and now she snaps at everybody and ignores Anna and Riley."

"She's probably just adjusting to high school life still." Brooke suggests. "Trying to find her crowd and figure out who she is, you know?"

"Maybe, at least I hope that's all it is." Peyton says, pushing the swing once more before changing the subject. "So, anyway, enough about me and Jake. What's going on with you and Luke?"

"No more swing, Momma." Riley interrupts. "Wanna play in sand."

Peyton slows the swing down and pulls Riley from it while Brooke sighs and replies, "A lot actually. We, um…we have an appointment at a fertility clinic this afternoon."

"What?" Peyton says surprised as she sets Riley down, who immediately runs for the sand box.

Brooke sighs as they sit down on a bench close to the play area and she explains, "Well, you know Lucas and I have been trying to get pregnant again."

"Yeah…" Peyton says, listening.

"We've probably been trying for at least three months now, and it still hasn't happened. Then, when I was late this month, I was convinced I was finally pregnant and I was really excited. But all that excitement was exchanged for disappointment a few hours later."

"I'm sorry, Brooke." Peyton says, rubbing her friend's shoulder. "I know how much you want another baby."

"I do. I want another one so much; I want the family I never had. That's why we're going for those tests today. I want to know why getting pregnant again is so hard for us and what we can do, if anything, to make it easier."

"So, what are you going to do if there is a reason why you haven't gotten pregnant yet?"

"I don't know. We haven't thought that far ahead."

Brooke and Lucas sit in the doctor's office, holding hands and anxiously waiting for the doctor to return.

"It's going to be okay, Brooke." Lucas says, looking over at his wife. "No matter what…we're going to be okay."

Brooke smiles back, but look away when the doctor enters.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Doctor Martin says, walking behind his desk. "I have your test result. But I must say, I'm a little surprised."

"Why?" Brooke asks worriedly. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, actually." Doctor Martin replies, opening the manila folder. "The tests revealed no problems for either of you. Everything is completely normal."

Brooke glances over at a smiling Lucas, then looks back at her doctor and says, "Don't get me wrong, this is really good news, but I don't understand anything now. If there aren't any problems with us, then why are we having such a hard time getting pregnant again?"

"Some couples just do. For some, it only takes a couple a month to conceive, and for others it can take even longer, years even."

"Great." Brooke mumbles.

"The best advice I can give you is to just keep trying, keep doing what you're doing and eventually you'll get pregnant."

"So, Haley thinks Dan has James in Florida?" Deb repeats, sitting next to her son at the counter in her home.

"Yeah, and she wants to go down there and looks for them herself, but I told her it's too dangerous."

"Well, you're right." Rob adds, grabbing a beer from the fridge. "It's safer to let the Florida authorities handle it."

"What makes her think they're even in Florida?" Deb asks.

"She had a dream a couple of nights ago with Jamie in it and he said something to her. That's all I know. But after our argument last night and after thinking about everything we said to each other, I'm thinking maybe I should be the one to go down there to look for him."

Deb and Rob both stare at him in surprise and Rob says, "Nathan, son, I—"

"I know you don't think it's a good idea either." Nathan interrupts. "I know it's not. But it doesn't matter. All that matters is my son. I bought a plane ticket today. It's open ended so I can leave and come back whenever I want, but I think I'll have a better chance of finding Dan and James if I leave as soon as possible."

"W-Well, what does Haley think about this?" Deb asks.

Nathan sighs and says, "She doesn't know yet. I haven't seen or spoken to her since last night. Which is why I should get going."

He stands off the stool and finishes, "I'm supposed to meet Lucas and then I need to get home and talk to Haley about this."

"Nathan, have you seriously thought about this?" Rob asks with concern.

"Yeah, I have. I need to do this for Haley…and for James."

Nathan stops walking when he reaches this familiar place on River Road. He stands across the street from the River Court, deciding whether or not he should cross the road. It's been months since he's been here…

_"Watch dad, Jamie." Cooper said, sitting next to James on the picnic table. "He's gonna make a slam dunk."_

_Nathan smiled as he jumped in the air, landing the ball in the net._

_"Yay!" James shouted excitedly, clapping his hands as he jumped off the table, followed by Cooper. "That was awesome, Dad!" _

_"Totally sweet!" Cooper added, holding a hand out._

_Nathan high-five him, smiled and said, "You think so?"_

_"Dan, I wanna learn to dunk like that." James said, jumping up and down._

_"Okay, com here." Nathan said before handing James the ball and lifting him off the ground. "Okay, ready? We're going to run down the court and I'm going to lift you higher when we get to the hoop. You ready?"_

_"Yeah, let's go!"_

_Nathan smiles again and begins down the court._

_"James Scott dribbles down the court… faster, oh man, this kid has got speed and talent…he's approaching the hoop now…"_

_Nathan lifted James higher and said, "He shoots…"_

_James throws the ball into the hoop, his little hands touch the rim and Nathan finished with. "And he scores! Scott wins it again!"_

_Nathan lowered James to his side and said, "Awesome, bud, I think you got the Scott talent."_

_"Thanks, Dad." James said with a smile._

That was the last time he'd been here, Nathan realizes as he continues to stare at the court where to cars are pulling up next to it in the grass.

"I will find you, bud." He says with tears again. "I promise…I will find you."

Across the street, Lucas and Jake climb out of Lucas's black truck and Mouth and Skills climb out of Skills' car.

"I thought Nathan was meeting us here?" Mouth says.

"He is." Lucas replies, looking around for his brother. He hears screeching tired and a loud engine as a car turns the corner. Lucas looks over at the street, where the car is swerving on the road, out of control. His eyes finally meet Nathan, standing on the sidewalk.

"Nathan, look out!" He shouts as the car swerves closer to the sidewalk and closer to Nathan.

Nathan looks to his right and sees the car coming at him, but he knows it's too late. All at once, Haley, Cooper. James, Katie, Lucas and Deb and the rest of his family and friends flash into his mind and in a flash, they disappear…


	11. Chapter 11: What Happened?

**Chapter Eleven: **_What Happened?_

Haley closes the door to her daughter's bedroom after checking to see if she was awake from her nap. She walks over to the stairs, but stops when she hears a noise come from Cooper's room.

"Damn it!" She hears him say when she walks to his door.

Haley pushes the door open and says, "Cooper…"

She enters the room and sits down on the bed next to her son, who is lying with his face buried in his pillow.

"Cooper, honey, what's wrong?" She asks, touching his back. "What happened?"

Cooper sits up on the bed and Haley notices the tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mom." He says.

"For what?"

"The window."

Haley looks over and notices the broken window. "Cooper, what—"

She looks back at her son as he explains; "I was cleaning my room like you told me too. And I found Jamie's baseball…the one he left on the deck that day. I brought it up here, but I forgot and I found it under my bed and it made me think about him and I just got mad, so I threw it. I' sorry, Mom."

Haley stares at her son with concern and she says, "It's fine, sweetie, I understand. We can fix the window. You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"No." Cooper says, still with a frown. "Mom…are you and dad gonna get a divorce?"

"What? No, of course not. Why would you think that?"

Cooper looks back at her and says, "I heard you guys arguing last night. And when I woke up today, dad wasn't here. And now I feel bad."

"Oh, honey, you have nothing to feel bad about. Your dad and I were—"

"I know, Mom. You and dad love each other too much to get divorced. I feel bad about James. I miss him."

"I know, baby." Haley says, hugging her son. I miss him too."

"I wish I would've been out there with him like he wanted me too."

"What are you talking about?"

Cooper stares at his mother and shares a memory of his own with her…

_"Please, Cooper, please?" James begged as he followed Cooper into the family room. "I wanna play catch."_

_"So go play catch." Cooper said as he plopped down on a stool in front of the television._

_"I can't play catch by myself."_

_"Then play fetch with Rocket." Cooper said, turning on his PlayStation 2._

_"But I want to play with you. We haven't played catch together in a long time."_

_"Maybe I'll play later." Cooper said, focused on the screen in front of him._

_"Fine." James sighed before he turned around and walked away._

"Maybe if I'd gone out to play with him, he wouldn't have got taken. I could've stopped him from getting taken."

"No, honey…" Haley says, worrying about how the kidnapping and her and Nathan's arguing has affected him. "There's nothing you could've done."

"Then, how come you and dad were fighting about it last night? You said what happened is your fault, but dad said it's his."

Haley sighs and runs her hand through Cooper's dark hair. "Well, sweetie, your dad and I both feel like what happened to your brother is our fault because we weren't able to save him. We're blaming ourselves, I guess, because…we don't know where else to put the blame."

"Cooper nods his head.

"So I don't want you thinking it was your fault too, okay? Haley says. "Because it wasn't."

"Okay, I won't. Just as long as you promise not to blame yourself either, okay?"

Haley considers for the sake of making her son feel better and she says, "Okay."

Cooper shows a small smile and Haley hugs him. She holds him in the hug until she hears the phone ring.

"I'll go answer that while you finish cleaning this room okay?" She says as she stands off the bed. "But don't touch any of the glass by the window. I don't want you to cut yourself."

Haley leaves his room and walks down to hers and answers the phone off Nathan's nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Haley…" The caller says with a panicky voice.

"Lucas?" Haley says worriedly. "You sound freaked out. What's wrong?"

"It's Nathan." He replies. "There's been an accident. You have to get down to the hospital."

"An accident?" Haley begins to panic. "Is he okay?"

"Just get down—"

"No, Luke, what happened? Is he okay?"

"A car swerved off the road where he was standing. They brought him to the Emergency room. He needs you, Haley."

Crying, Haley says, "I'll be right there."

She clicks off the phone, throws it on the bed and hurries to get the kids and get to the hospital.

Lucas is pacing the floor when Haley enters through the emergency doors, running with Katie in her arms and Cooper by her side. Lucas stops when he sees her.

"Where is he?" Haley asks, slowing down and finally stopping.

"In surgery." Lucas replies, his face full of anxiety. Brooke walks over and takes Katie from Haley and ushers her nephew to the waiting area with her.

"Surgery?" Haley repeats, panicking again. "Is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know. They haven't come back out since they went in."

Haley stares at her friend and can see the fear, worry and terror in his eyes. She is scared too, but she knows Lucas is terrified even more because he was there…he must've been there.

"You were with him, weren't you?" She says. "You saw what happened?"

Lucas looks back at her with watery eyes and answers, "He was standing across the street from the River Court. I heard tires screech, so I looked over and saw this out of control car swerving off the road, toward Nathan. I yelled to him and I tried running over to push him out of the way, but…"

Haley hugs him as he cries.

"It'll be okay." She says. "It has to be. I can't lose him too."

Haley, Lucas, Deb, Rob, Tyler, Jake, Peyton, Mouth and Skills are still waiting for news from the doctor over an hour later. Shortly after Haley arrived at the hospital, Brooke offered to take Cooper and Katie home with her.

"This is taking too long." Haley says anxiously. "I'm going crazy here. I need to see him. I need to know he's okay."

Peyton and Lucas rub her back comfortingly and Haley lays her head on Lucas' shoulder. After what seemed like years of waiting, a doctor walks through double doors, dressed in light blue scrubs and wearing a paper blue hat on his bald head and a paper mask hanging from his neck. He approaches the group.

"Are you all here for Nathan Scott?"

Haley stands up quickly, followed by everyone else. Haley responds, "Yes. Is my husband okay?"

"Well, his injuries were pretty severe." The doctor begins. "There was a lot of damage to his abdomen and several of his ribs were broken. Luckily, though, with much work, we were able to repair the internal damage and have managed to stabilize him."

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief, but the doctor has more to say.

"However, Nathan still has some external injuries, including a broken arm and leg and he has some cuts and bruises. There's something else as well…it seems Nathan, as a result of the head injury and concussion, has slipped into a coma."

"What? Well, when will he wake up?" Deb asks, Haley and Lucas wondering the same thing.

The doctor sighs and says, " I don't know. He was lucky to have survived such an impact. To be completely honest, there's a chance, with an injury so severe, he may never wake up. When and if he does is completely up to him. There's nothing more we can do, except wait."

"I'm sorry." The doctor says before walking away. Rob holds Deb in his arms while Jake holds Peyton and Lucas and Haley both stand next to each other, devastated as they digest everything.

_How can this be happening? _They both wonder. _Why is this happening?_

"This is too much…" Haley says, turning to Lucas." I can't…he can't…"

She begins to cry again and Lucas holds her, his eyes watering.


	12. Chapter 12: Healing

**A/N: so how do you like the story? Most of you seem to be loving it. I just want to let you know what's going on. Starting with this chapter, you are going to read sections in the chapter, and sometimes a chapter by itself, of just Nathan's thoughts as he lays unconscious trying to "find his way back" through "memories"; so you will also be seeing some familiar scenes, which is why I need to put my disclaimer up now: I DO NOT OWN ONE TREE HILL…ONLY THIS FANFIC  that's t guys…enjoy the rest of the story.**

**Chapter Twelve: **_Healing_

Haley slowly opens the door to his ICU room. Her cheeks are still wet from her tears and more fall on her face when she sees her husband laying there in the bed, hooked up to a ventilator and his right arm and leg in a cast; his les is propped up on two pillows. Haley approaches the bed and is aware of the many cuts and bruises upon his face.

"Oh Nathan…" she whispers and cries again as she runs her hand through his hair. She comes to a bare spot and feels the stitches the doctors had sewed on his head. "Please wake up…please. I need you so much…please."

She sits in a chair by his side and holds his hand. She sniffles and looks around at all the monitors he is attached to. It makes her ache to see him hurt so badly. She wants so much for him to just wake up right now so she can know he is okay and so she can tell him how sorry she is and how much she loves him.

Haley moves her free hand to Nathan's chest and she feels his heart beating.

"You're in there somewhere, Nathan," she whispers. "I know you are. But where?"

She stares at his face longer and wonders what, if anything, is going through his mind. And when will he remember her and the kids and finally wake up.

Something has happened…he knows there is a reason why he can't wake up. He wants to, but he knows he can't. He needs to heal first. Physically…mentally…emotionally…he needs to recover. But how? And from what?

_He knows to let the medicine and bandages heal his body. But the rest…he knows he has to heal himself. He needs to heal his mind in order to heal his emotions. And to heal his mind, he must remember why he his here, in this state, unable to wake up. Remembering is the first step to healing._

_There's just one problem…he can't remember who he is now, who he is supposed to be. And he can only remember glimpses of who he used to be. He is a stranger to himself and to his memories. Yet, someone still stands out to him as someone his heart is telling him to remember, someone his heart is telling him he knows…someone his heart is telling him is quite possibly, the most important person in his life…_

_Nathan entered the tutor center and saw that friend of Lucas's stacking books on a shelf. _

_"Hey." He said and she stopped to look at him. _

_She sort of glared at him and said, "Can I help you?"_

_"I hope so. You're my tutor."_

_She chuckles, "Right. I don't think so."_

_He looked at the paper he held in his hand and said, "You're Haley James, right?"_

_Haley took the paper from him, read it, handed it back and said, "I'm sorry. I'm best friends with Lucas."_

_Nathan slyly nodded and replied, "Well, then I'm sorry too."_

_Haley turned away from him as she said, "Forget it. I'll find you someone else."_

_"Oh, well look, there is nobody else. All right? I'd be fine with it if there was."_

_"If there 'were'."_

_Nathan smiled and said, "See? You're helping me already."_

_"Look, I can't help you. And on top of that, I won't help you. Okay?"_

_Nathan watched her as she walked away from him._

_That was when things first began with him and this…Haley. That day in the tutor center. But he knows there is more than that. Something is missing still and he knows he needs to figure out what it is. He needs to figure out his life. He needs to find his way back._


	13. Chapter 13: Not Giving Up

**Chapter Thirteen: **_Not Giving Up_

Haley pulls her minivan into the drive of her mother-in-law's home and switches the gear to park before turning off the ignition and resting back in her seat. She is exhausted after spending the last week in the hospital. All week long, she's been there, sitting by his side, waiting for him to wake up. All those hours spent thinking about him and how much she needs him, has made her think back on times when he needed her…

_She stood in front of his house, unsure if she should go up and knock. If she did, then it would mean betraying Lucas. And if she didn't, well…Nathan may never leave him alone. So she sighed and knocked on the door._

_"Hey." Nathan said when he opened the door and saw her standing there._

_"Hey." She returned. "I looked over your English exam and if you really want to learn, I can help you."_

_Nathan smiled and said, "That's great. All right."_

_Almost immediately, Haley continued, "I just…I have two conditions. One: Lucas does not find out, okay? Ever."_

_"All right. Fine." Nathan agreed._

_"And number two: you leave him alone."_

_Nathan nodded his head and said, "I don't really have much of a choice, do I?"_

_"Okay, then, uh…tomorrow morning, 7:00 a.m. at the Market Street dock."_

_"Okay, 7:00 then."_

"_Okay." Haley nodded her head and turned and left._

_She was doing it for Lucas, Haley told herself while she waited for Nathan at the dock the following morning. She was helping him by helping Nathan. That was it._

_Nathan finally arrived at the dock, carrying with him two coffees and Crackerjack._

_"Breakfast of champions." He said as he set the coffee down on the picnic table. "Want some?"_

_"You're late." Haley said as Nathan removed his book bag and sat across from her._

_He began to open the box of Cracker Jack and as he did, he said, "Oh, please let this be a cheat sheet."_

_He ripped open the prize package and pulled out a colorful bracelet. He looked at her and said, "It's for you."_

_"Stop it."_

_"Come on." Nathan said as he slid the bracelet on her wrist. He smiled at her and added, "Don't say I never gave you anything."_

A single tear falls down Haley's cheek as she remembers her early days with Nathan.

"You gave me everything Nathan." She says to herself. "You have to come back."

Haley spent a few more minutes to herself alone in the car before heading inside. The back door is already open, so she walks inside.

"Hello?" She says, letting the screen door slam as she enters the kitchen.

Cooper turns around on the stool and jumps down to hug his mother.

"Hi, mom. I missed you."

"Oh, I missed you too, baby." Haley replies, kissing her son's head before they pull out of the hug,

Cooper looks up at her and asks, "Is dad awake yet?"

Haley's smile fades and she looks up at Rob, who is watching from the other side of the counter. She looks back at Cooper and replies sadly, "No, honey…not yet."

Cooper lowers his head and when he looks back up at Haley, he says, "I really want him to wake up."

"I know, sweetie. I do too."

They hug again just as Deb enters the kitchen with Katie.

"There's mommy." She says, smiling and Katie points to Haley with a big smile.

Haley smiles too as her daughter reaches for her.

"Momma!" Katie says and Haley takes her into her arms.

"Awe, there's my baby girl." Haley says, hugging Katie to her before kissing her cheek. "I missed you so much."

"She certainly missed you too." Deb says as Rob wraps an arm around her. "We have had such a hard time getting her to go to sleep."

"Yeah, she would just cry and cry for you." Rob adds.

"Awe…" Haley says, looking at Katie again, who is playing with her necklace. Then, Haley looks back at her in-laws and continues, "Well, I didn't sleep that well either."

They nod and Haley looks back to Cooper and asks, "So, are you ready to go home, bud?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." Cooper replies.

"Okay. Go get your stuff. Oh, and get your sister's bag too, please."

"Okay." Cooper says before running from the kitchen. Haley walks over and sits on a stool and sits Katie on her lap, facing Rob and Deb.

"So, no change?" Deb says, thinking about her on again.

Haley stares a few seconds, shakes her head and sighs, "Nope…no change. His cuts and cruises are starting to heal though."

"Well, I guess that's something." Deb says. "It's good to hear he is healing a little bit."

"Yeah…" Haley agrees.

"Haley…" Rob speaks. "There's something I think we should tell you, something regarding Nathan and James."

"What? Do you have a lead? Do you know where he is?"

"Unfortunately, no. But the police in surrounding states are still keeping a look out. This is more about Nathan."

"Okay. Well…what is it?" Haley wonders.

"Nathan came here before he went to the River Court the day of the accident." Deb started. "He needed to talk about the argument you guys had."

"Yeah, well, I figured as much. He always turns to you and Lucas before coming back to me."

"Well, when he was here," Rob continues, "he, um…after he told us about what you thought about Florida, he told us he'd bought an open ended plane ticket to Florida and that he was planning on going down there to look for James himself."

Haley only stares with shock as she reflects on this new information.

"He was going home to tell you." Rob speaks again after about thirty seconds.

"I don't…" Haley speaks though struggling to say what she actually wants to say. "I mean, I don't understand. He said it was too dangerous for me to go down there with nothing to go on; yet, he was planning to go down himself with nothing to go on. I just…I don't get it. God, I hate it when he thinks he has to play the hero."

"Honestly," Deb joins in, "I really don't think it was about that. I think it was more about him. I mean, he said he needed to go for you and for James, but I saw the look in his eyes and I could tell it was about him too."

Haley looks down at Katie, who is bouncing on her lap and speaking her own baby language.

"I don't know what you want to do with this, "Rob says. "But we thought you should know since Nate was planning on telling you."

"Well…" Haley says, looking back up them, "As much as I want to find my son, as much as I need to find him…I can't really do anything with that ticket. I have to leave it up to the police to find him now. I can't leave Nathan…not now. He's always been there when I needed him. Now it's my turn to be there for him…he needs me."

Deb touches Haley's hand and says, "We understand, honey."

Haley smiles before looking at Rob and saying, "I need to be here for Nathan, but that doesn't mean I'm forgetting about my son because I'm not. I'm not going to give up worrying about him or wanting him found until he is found. So I still need your help…so does Nathan…now more than ever."

Rob nods and replies, "Of course. I'll never stop looking. You can count on me…always."

Haley smiles with wet eyes and says, "Thank you."


	14. Chapter 14: We've Got to Keep Living

**Chapter Fourteen: **_We've Got to Keep Living_

So she was tutoring him to help Lucas…her best friend and his…brother, right? Yes, his brother. They share the same evil father, but have two different, wonderful mothers. Yet, he, Nathan used to be a jerk to his brother for some reason he can't remember now. But he knows that now they are close, real brothers…friends even. How they got to be this way…Haley, he thinks, is the reason. He remembers changing his ways for her…he fell for her…

_He tossed one pebble after another at the window on her house, trying to wake her and get her to come out._

_"Trying to wake up my parents." He heard her voice and turned around. "That's their room."_

_She kept walking and he ran over to her and said, Wait, Haley. Look, I need to apologize, okay?"_

_Haley stopped and said, "You should buy them in bulk if you're going to hand apologies out that often."_

_He sighed, "Look, I just…I don't know how to do this, all right. I'm not like you."_

_"What does that mean?"_

_"I screw up a lot, alright? And being around you, I don't want to be that guy anymore."_

_"Well, who do you want to be Nathan?"_

_" I want to be somebody who's good enough to be seen with you."_

_"Well, you should've thought of that last night. You know, I keep putting myself out there and you keep blowing it. And it's probably a good thing, because there's nothing you can do at this point that'll surprise me."_

_He kissed her lips as she finished those words._

_"Except that." Haley said when he pulled away._

_She stared at him and him back at her and she said, "You shouldn't have done that, Nathan."_

_"But I wanted to."_

"_Yeah?" Haley said before she jumped up and kissed him back._

_So he fell for her and she had fallen for him too. That was their first kiss, he remembers. And they had so many more after that, he is sure he remembers. But he knows he is still so far away from where he is supposed to be._

Brooke enters the ICU room where Lucas is sitting by Nathan's bed. Nathan's scars have healed over the last few weeks and he is breathing on his own now, but his arm and leg are still in casts. Brooke walks over and sits in the chair next to her husband.

"What are you thinking about?" She wonders, rubbing Lucas's back.

"The last time I remember being in the hospital like this." Lucas replies. He looks over at Brooke and continues; "You know…that accident in high school when I went into a coma?"

"Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

Lucas looks back at his unconscious brother and shares with Brooke his memory…

_"Hey man." Lucas could hear someone speak to him. It sounded like Nathan, but he wasn't sure. He listened more carefully._

_"I kind of need to talk to you." Yes, he thought, it is sounding more like Nathan._

_"So I'm here because everything's screwed up. I know you don't trust me with Haley. But I like her a lot, you know?"_

_Yep, it was Nathan, Lucas realized. And he continued to listen, hoping to find a way to wake up from whatever this was._

_"She's hurting right now, too." Nathan continued. "She needs you to open your eyes, man. She feels like she can't be forgiven. And I'm sort of in the same place."_

_He felt the brush of Nathan's hands on his as Nathan left his hands on the bed and continued, "This accident, it might not turn out so bad, you know? You can take a break from the game. The pressure of people's expectations. I wish I had that chance. This might be hard to believe, but…maybe you're the lucky one. You can get out."_

_Nathan's voice sounded closer and Lucas felt more alive. He tried testing his existence and moved his fingers. Then, slowly…he opened his eyes._

"Wow…" Brooke says after hearing to the memory. "You remember what he said to you while you were unconscious?"

"I know it sounds impossible," Lucas replies, "but I do. And I didn't realize it until now."

Again, Lucas looks to his brother. He says, "Maybe it's a brother thing, I don't know. But I feel like he helped me wake up and I thought…"

"You thought if you sat here and talked to him long enough, that he might wake up too?"

Lucas turns back to Brooke and smiles and says, "You know me too well."

"Only as well as you know me." Brooke smiles back as she stands up. She puts her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek. Then, they stare at each other and she says, "Look, I know you want him to wake up. We all do. But we can't just sit around waiting. We have to keep living. It's what Nathan would want us to do, right?"

"Lucas smiles and replies, "You're right. I know you're right. It's just…I don't want to give up on him."

"You don't have to. You just have to keep going on with your life and give him a chance to come back on his own. Just give him some time…he'll wake up/ Trust it…believe in it like I do."

Lucas stares at her longer with a smile and says, "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Well, only because of you."

Lucas chuckles before kissing his wife.


	15. Chapter 15: Back to School

**Chapter 15: **_Back to School_

James sits in the back seat of the SUV as Dan pulls out of the parking lot of a grocery store. He is quiet during the ride, like he usually is now. He is bored a lot now too. Even with Rocket to play with, James still wishes he could go home and see his mom and dad and big brother and baby sister. He misses them so much, even if they don't miss him like Dan says.

Sure, grandpa plays basketball with him sometimes, but he never lets him play baseball, which is his favorite game. Dad always played both with him and let him pick which game was his favorite. Dad and Cooper and uncle Lucas always made playing those games more fun. Dan bought him lots of new toys too, but he wants the ones mommy and daddy bought for him. But even the toys don't matter to him now. His only wish now is for someone to just find him and rescue him and bring him home.

James looks out the window at a school bus pulling away from a bus stop. That's another thing on his mind…school. He is supposed to start pre kindergarten at Cooper's school this year and mommy and daddy were going to take him on the first day. He remembers asking Dan about going back to Tree Hill before school starts.

_"Hey James, " Dan called him from the kitchen. "Son, come on in here and eat…dinner is ready."_

_James climbed off the couch, turned off the television and entered the kitchen and sat at the table across from Dan. He stared at his plate of a hot dog and macaroni and cheese._

_Dan noticed and said, "What's the matter, son? You said you wanted this tonight?"_

_"I know." James replied. "I'm just not hungry."_

_"Why? What's on your mind?"_

_James looked up at Dan and said, "I want to go home. I miss my mom and dad and my brother and sister, even if they don't miss me. I really want to go home."_

_Dan set down his fork and wiped his face._

_"I know you do, son. And I do too, but we can't go home just yet."_

_"How come?"_

_"Well…I still have some work I need to go here."_

_"But school is supposed to start soon and I have to go home so I don't miss it."_

_"You won't. You're going to go to school down here for awhile."_

_"But—"_

_"I'll tell you what…if you go to school down here for awhile so I can finish my work, then maybe we'll go home to Tree Hill."_

_"Really? You promise?"_

_"Sure."_

_So he agreed, hoping with all hope that maybe, just maybe…someday soon…Dan would finally take him home to his family._

"Cooper!" Haley shouts as she walks up the stairs with Katie on her hip. She reaches his door and pushes it open. "Coop, honey, come on. You're going to be late for your first day."

"So what?" Cooper replies as he finishes tying his right show. "It's only fourth grade."

"Yeah, but all your friends are going to be in your class this year." Haley switches Katie to her right hip as she moves into the room closer to her son.

"But dad and Jamie aren't going to be with us today, Mom." Cooper looks up at Haley and she understands his attitude today. "We always go together on the first day of school Mom. You always make us all pancakes and then we all ride to school together. And this year was supposed to be different too. James was supposed to start pre kindergarten at my school, remember?"

"Yes, I remember." Haley says as she sits next to cooper on the bed and stands Katie on the floor. "But he will be at school with you soon. When he comes home…he'll go to school with you. Don't you worry."

Ever since her last conversation like this about James and since Nathan's accident, Haley has learned to be stronger and more positive about the situation. She has learned to have more faith in finding James and in Nathan's finding his way back to her and his family.

"But when, Mom? When is James going to be home again? And when is dad going to wake up and come home?"

"I don't know…but they will."

"What is taking her so long? Jake asks Peyton who is helping Anna put her purple backpack on. "It's only the first day."

Peyton chuckles and says, "Exactly. It's the first day of her sophomore year and she's a total girl. She's probably just finishing her make up or changing after the third time you sent her in to change because you didn't like what she was wearing."

"Come on, Peyton." Jake says as he slips on to Riley's left foot, one of his black light up sandals. "You saw what she come out here wearing. Those outfits were a little too mature for her, don't you think?"

"Yes, but you should cut her some slack. She's in high school, remember?" Peyton takes Riley from Jake.

"See, now that's what I'm afraid of. She's got three years left, which means a whole lot more trouble for us."

Peyton smiles and says, Well, I should get going so I can get her to preschool on time and get him to my dad's before I'm late for work."

"Okay." Jake says. "Anna, come give daddy a kiss."

Smiling, the short, blond, curly haired, green eyed little girl bounces over to Jake, kisses his lips and hugs him while he says, "You have a good first day, okay? I love you."

"I love you too, Dad." Anna replies before running back towards the door and outside.

"And I love you too, Dad." Peyton says with a smile. Jake smiles and kisses her before she leaves with Riley.

Jake begins down the hall for Jenny's room, but before he can get there, Jenny comes running out from her room.

"Bye, Dad." She says, flying past him.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second…." He says, returning to the living room where she stops. "Am I not taking you to school?"

"No…" Jenny replies. "I'm going with Ashley and Missy and Tyler, you know…my friends and my boyfriend. Tyler's a junior this year, so he can drive us now."

"But—"

Jake is interrupted by honking outside and he and Jenny both glance at the door. Jenny looks back at Jake and says, "That's them, Dad. I have to go or I'll be late."

She runs out the door and after she leaves, Jake slumps down on the couch and mumbles, "What happened to my little girl?"

"But I don't wanna go Daddy!" Jessilin cries to Lucas and he tried to calm her down. "I don't wanna go to preschool. I wanna stay home with you and mommy!"

Lucas kneels down in front of his daughter. Petting her head, he says, "But mommy and I aren't staying home, honey. Mommy is going to work at her store and daddy has to go teach at his school."

"Huh, uh…you're lying." Jessi cries, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm not, Jess. I promise." Lucas says with a smile as Brooke enters the room with a confused look. "Look, there's mommy. She knows we both have to go to work. Right, mom?"

"That's right, baby. You have to go to school so we can go to work."

"But I don't want to. I wanna come to work with you like I used to. I'm not gonna have any fun at school."

"Sure you are." Lucas says. "You're going to make a lot of new friends."

"You're dad's right. And you already have a friend who's going to be there too."

"I do? Who?"

"Well, who is your best friend in the entire world?" Brooke asks, smiling.

Finally, Jessilin begins to smile as she answers, "Anna! She's goin to my preschool too?"

"Yes, she is." Lucas replies. "She's probably waiting for you right now."

"Well what are we waiting for, let's go!" Jess runs for the stairs.

Brooke and Lucas chuckle as they stand up.

"Good job, mom." Lucas says as he wraps an arm around her shoulder.

"You didn't do too bad yourself. Dad." Brooke replies before kissing him.


	16. Chapter 16: Surprises

**Chapter Sixteen: **_Surprises_

He is getting to understand more of his life now as he remembers one thing after another. He is remembering the people in his life through memories of his past. He has a wonderful mother who cares so much for him, a loving brother, an evil father, and the most beautiful, caring girl he could ever have. And now, he realizes he loves this woman and he thinks he remembers the day he expressed his love for her…

They sat together on the bench on market Street, enjoying the night air and quiet. But Nathan wasn't very much enjoying himself, as he had other things on his mind. He was trying to figure out how to be a good boyfriend to Haley without pushing too hard.

"I know I'm driving you crazy, Nathan." Haley spoke.

"No, you're not."

"Do you think that I'm a tease?"

"Stop it."

"Well, what do you think?"

He sighed, "I think that you're my girlfriend and I like to spend time with you. Look, I just don't want to push you."

"You're not."

"But I am."

Haley looked at him, confused. He continued, "Haley, you got a tattoo for God's sakes and it just freaks me out a little bit…because, obviously this whole thing with us means a lot to you. I just don't want to do anything to pressure you…or drive you away. Even though sometimes I can't help it. Just like I can't help that I fell in love with you. 'Cause I did."

He saw her close her eyes and smile. Then, he said for the first time, "I love you, Haley."

She looked back at him as he continued, "And it scares me a little bit…but there it is."

Haley sighed, looked away and said, "Wow…there it is."

She looked back and kissed him. After the kiss, she said, "I love you too."

And again, they kissed.

Remembering that night makes him feel happy inside. He knows he must still love her. Because as he thinks about her, one particular night comes back to him as the night that changed his life and Haley's…then night he asked her to marry him…

"I want to do something, okay?" Haley said, standing in front of him and the bed. He watched her as she removed her shirt.

"Haley…" he said, not wanting to pressure her into anything.

"No, it's okay." She interrupted. "It's okay."

She threw her shirt on the floor and kissed him. He gave in s they leaned back on the bed. They rolled over, onto the pillows as they kissed more and more. Then, Nathan stopped and said, "I could love you forever."

"So could I."

"You're my family now, Haley." He said, looking into her eyes. "The only true thing I have. I never want to lose you."

"You won't."

He hesitated and Haley watched him, confused. "What?"

He continued to stare into her eyes listening to the rain outside and finally he said, "Marry me."

Haley smiled at him and disbelieving, she turned away.

"Stop it." She said as she tried to sit up.

Still smiling, Haley said, "Oh, you're embarrassing me."

"Why not?"

"Because we're in high school."

"So what? I'm emancipated."

Haley gave him a suspicious look.

"Is this about sex? Because I want to wait?"

"No. I could see you caving on that already."

Haley chuckles, "Well, maybe so. Nathan, couples don't get married in high school. It's not normal."

"So. I'm not normal. What I'm feeling is definitely not normal. And to be honest with you Haley, I don't ever want to be normal. Not with you. I'm serious."

"I know you are."

"Okay, so I'll say it again: I could love you forever."

"Nathan, so could I, but…"

"So why can't forever start today?"

He remembers they spent hours discussing his proposal. Well, he spent hours trying to convince her it would all be okay…

"I'm here for you, Haley." He said, lying next to her.

"I know you are." She replied. "What if we're no good together? What if it drives us apart?"

"It won't. Look, Haley, I want to be with you. And if you don't want to be with you, I guess I understand…but this isn't going to change anything."

She smiled and agreed, finally. "Tonight, then. After the game."

And they had gotten married on the beach, he remembers. Her parents had agreed to let him marry her and they had gotten married. And they had surprised everyone with the news. But it was a good surprise, right? If he can still feel his love for her, then they must still be married, right? But is that all?

How old are they now? Do they have a family yet? He must still be missing pieces of his life, then, if he still can't wake up. So what is it, then? What is this pain and tragedy that has him trapped? And how can he escape it and find his way? He needs to remember more of his life…he needs to remember what happens next.

Haley returns to Nathan's room and sits next to his bed. She sighs and speaks to him, "Well, I just spoke to your doctor again. You're doing much better now that your leg and arm have healed. But they're still concerned about you being in this coma. I am too. And so are your son and your mother and your brother. It's half way through September now, Nathan. You've been like this for a month and a half. It's about time you wake up, don't you think?"

She remains quiet a moment, looking up at his face and taking his hand, she continued, "So, I've been thinking a lot lately about everything that's happened this summer, about all these really bad surprises we've gotten. First, James and then you. You know, it would be really nice if we could get our good surprises back, even for Lucas and Brooke. They haven't had much good luck lately either. It would just be really nice. I think the last good surprise you and I had was Katie."

Haley smiles as she thinks about her daughter and she talks about her to Nathan.

"You remember…for months the doctor was sure she was a 'he'. Every visit, he said how healthy our baby boy was."

Haley laughs, "And you spent months painting the nursery blue for our third little boy. And then that rainy day in March, after 48 hours of labor, came our baby girl. You know…I think before that, the last time we were that surprised and that excited was when we found out I was pregnant with Cooper."

Haley smiles again as she reflects on those times. Then, she looks back at her husband.

"But the greatest surprise now would be for you to wake up and for someone to call and say they found James. I know you can hear me, Nathan. I can feel you listening to me. I know you're lost, but I hope you find your way back soon, because we all need you."

She kisses his hand, then stands up and kisses his lips.

"I love you." Haley says before leaving the room.

"Hey, B. Scott," Peyton says as she approaches the checkout counter of Brooke's clothing store, Brucas4Ever. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, as soon as Bevin gets her butt out here!" Brooke replies, looking at the back room entrance as Bevin walks out.

"Sorry." She says as she walks behind the counter. "The baby was up all night last night, so I'm a little late and tired this morning."

"Oh, I know." Brooke says, hugging her friend. "I'm just kidding."

"So, how are you and Skills adjusting to parenthood?" Peyton asks as Brooke grabs her purse from under the counter.

"Well, we love it so far." Bevin replies, leaning against the counter. "Except we're both so tired all the time."

"Oh, you'll get used to that." Brooke says, walking around the counter.

"Especially when you've got more than one." Peyton adds.

"Umm…I think Skills and I are going to wait a few years before having anymore."

Peyton and Brooke laugh before leaving the store.

"So, thanks for picking me up." Brooke says as they let the door swing closed behind them and walk to Peyton's classic car, the car she's had since high school. "Keith said my car should be ready by Friday."

"Sure, anytime." Peyton replies as she stops to open the door of her car. She looks at Brooke, who seems to be sweating and pale. "Are you okay? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine." Brooke says as they both get in the car and close their doors. "I'm just a little warm."

"Yeah, well you look it." Peyton sticks the key into the ignition and starts the car.

"I'm fine, Peyton, I promise. I think I'm just getting the stomach flu. Lucas and Jess just had it. I'll take something when I get home and be just fine in a few days."

"Okay." Peyton says as she backs out of the parking place on front of the line of shops and restaurants.

After a minute, Peyton talks again, "So, I haven't gotten to talk to you in a few days or tell you about Jenny's latest deviant act."

"Uh, oh, what?"

Peyton glances at her friend and says, "Smoking."

"Smoking? Jenny?"

"Yep. She was with her friends at a slumber party. Her friend's parents called us later that night to come and pick her up because they found the girls smoking in the garage."

"It wasn't pot, was it?"

"No, it was just cigarettes. But at the rate Jenny's going…Jake and I don't know what to do with her."

"Yeah…" Brooke stops mid sentence. "Whoa…"

"What?" Peyton asks worriedly, glancing at her.

"I just got really dizzy for a second." Brooke moves her hand to her head.

"Well, are you okay?"

"I don't know, I…"

Peyton looks over and sees Brooke has passed out, her head leaning against the window.

"Oh my god, Brooke!" She pulls the car over and switches it to park. She leans over and tries to wake her friend. "Brooke, come on, wake up! Brooke!"

Peyton lays Brooke head back down and sits back in her seat as she starts the car again, switches the gear to drive and turns around and drives back toward the hospital.

"Peyton!" Lucas shouts as he runs through the Emergency Room doors with Jessi in his arms.

Peyton turns around as he comes closer and she says, "Thank God, Luke, finally."

"What happened?" Lucas asks as he catches his breath. "Where is she?"

"I don't know. We'd been in the car for five minutes, just talking and all of a sudden she got really dizzy and passed out. She was real sweaty and pale when I picked her up, but she said it was just stomach flu. She was starting to wake when I got her here, but I haven't heard anything."

"I'll find her." Lucas says. "Here, can you take her?"

"Yeah, come here girlie." Peyton says as she takes Jessilin from Lucas.

"Excuse me." Lucas says to the nurse at the desk. Peyton steps up next to him.

"Yes, sir?" The nurse replies, looking back at him.

"What room is Brooke Scott in? I'm her husband and this is her sister."

"Um…let me check." The nurse stands and looks through charts sitting on the desk. "Aha, yes, Brooke Scott…room 106."

"Thanks." Lucas says before running down the hall to her room.

Brooke is sitting up in the bed when he enters. He rushes over to her side.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asks, running his hand over her short dark hair.

"I'm fine." She replies, a smile spreading across her face, taking his hand. "We're fine."

"Good, I was so wor—" Lucas realizes what she said. "Wait, did you say 'we're' okay?"

Brooke smiles as she touches her stomach with her right hand and Lucas glances down, looks back at her and asks, "Are you?"

She nods and says, "Uh, huh…I'm pregnant."

Lucas smiles and quickly hugs Brooke as she laughs. He kisses her cheek, then looks back and says excitedly, "I can't believe this. When? I mean, how far along?"

"Doctor said about six weeks."

"Six weeks?" Lucas repeats with surprise. "Oh my gosh, this is amazing. Did you know?"

"No, not until tonight. I thought I'd caught the stomach flu you just had and then the doctor said I'm pregnant. It totally surprised me when she said that. I didn't even think…I'm just so happy."

"So am I, babe. I'm so, so happy." Lucas leans over and they kiss. When they finish, Lucas smiles again and says, "So, we're going to have a baby again."

"Finally." Brooke says. "Finally."

She laughs, he laughs, and they hug again.


	17. Chapter 17: Figuring It Out

**Chapter Seventeen: **_Figuring It Out_

_It's coming back to him now…slowly, his life is coming back to him. So he'd proposed to Haley and after hours of discussion, she'd agreed to marry him. He had promised in his vows to love and protect her forever. But as he recalls, he also promised that getting married so young wouldn't change anything._

_Yet, he feels like his and Haley's relationship may have changed from what it is in his memories. He remembers the good times they shared, like the reception Lucas, Brooke and Peyton had thrown for them, and recording their first newlywed answering machine message. He remembers arguments they had too, like when he bought Haley a keyboard instead of the car they needed._

_He remembers her being so upset at him for that. But he also remembers what a beautiful voice she had and probably still has. Oh, but that keyboard…had led her to sing at Tric, his mom and Karen's club. And that night had led to…Chris Keller. That name furiates him and he is beginning to remember why._

_He remembers wanting Haley to go after her dream and sing and write songs. But he never wanted Chris to get involved in that. But he remembers he did anyway and that's when trouble started for him and Haley._

_Chris had swooped in and tried to steal Haley away from him through music. He remembers that he knew from the start what an ass Chris was and he had tried to warn Haley, tried to stop her from getting involved with him. But she had loved her music and she knew Chris could help her go where she wanted with it. And in fact, as much as Nathan remembers hating it, Chris had helped her go somewhere…on tour with him and The Wreckers._

_He remembers that night and with that memory, the pain and anger rush back to him…_

_They returned home to their apartment after seeing The Wreckers and (much to Nathan's dismay), Chris Keller at Tric. Nathan heard the shower running and as Haley closed the door to the apartment he said, "You know, now that Taylor's leaving we'll have enough hot water for our own showers."_

_Haley sat up on a stool in front of the counter and she looked…sad. She hugged Nathan close to her._

"_Haley, what's wrong?" Nathan wondered as he held her._

_She pulled out of the hug and answered him, "Um…Michelle Branch likes my voice. She thinks I could be a singer. A real one."_

_Nathan smiled._

_Haley hesitated, but continued, "Chris said that she wants me on tour. I'm so far ahead with classes and I'd be back in time for finals."_

_Nathan nods and says, "So says the great Chris."_

"_No, this isn't about him, Nathan. This is about opportunity. I have my entire life been the reliable one and the dependable one. And I have always done precisely what's expected of me."_

_Nathan sighed, "Until we got married."_

"_Exactly. And then I finally did something for me. Something that I wanted. And the world didn't end. And I have that chance again."_

_Nathan stared at her and felt…hurt in a way._

"_If you leave me—" He said._

"_This is not the end for us. This is my shot to find out if I am good enough to have a life in music. Or if nights at Tric are all I get."_

"_And this has nothing to do with Chris?" Nathan asked._

"_No. Absolutely not."_

_He looked away for only a moment. He looked back at her and asked, "Then, why haven't you asked me to come with you?"_

_Haley stared at him, wishing now that she had asked him. She didn't know why she didn't ask him. She wanted to go on that tour, but she wanted Nathan too._

_Nathan stared back at her and asked, "Did you kiss him?"_

_She was scared to answer, but she knew she must be honest with him, even with the hurt in his eyes._

"Yes." She whispered and Nathan sighed with hurt and disappointment.

_Haley wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I'm sorry. You have to believe me. That's not what this is about. Nathan—"_

_He pulled away from her as he said, "Haley, listen. If you want to go, you should go. But if you do…we're done."_

_And he turned around and left the apartment, hurt; angry, and afraid she would leave him…_

_And she did leave, he remembers. He had gone out, taken a walk to clear his head. He remembers walking by the Market Street dock, where Haley had tutored him for the first time and he had given her that colorful bracelet from the crackerjack box._

_Now, he recalls remembering that day when he stood there at that dock. And he had realized his mistake in saying what he had said to her and quickly ran home. He remembers running home, not wanting her to go…_

_He opened the door and looked around for her. He saw a shadow moving around in the bedroom and closed the front door._

"_Haley?" He said, walking toward the room._

_But it wasn't Haley who came out. It was her sister, Taylor._

"_I'm sorry, Nathan." Taylor said. "She's gone."_

_Taylor continued down the hall and Nathan picked up the bracelet off the end table when he saw it. He sighed and wished he hadn't let her go. He walked back to the living room, still feeling so hurt and angry._

_He stood and stared at the wedding wall Peyton had made for them as a wedding present not so long ago. Then, he looked over at the keyboard and let his anger escape him. He lifted the keyboard and with all his strength, threw it at the wedding wall, causing both to break as they fell to the floor. And then he sat and buried his face in his hands…and let himself cry._

_He was in so much pain after she left him. He remembers all the pain he'd been in. His heart ached so much for her that he spent weeks getting drunk and ditching school. But things changed after some time. He went back to basketball and that helped him ease the pain. But he remembers now, that he never really began to heal from that until she came back…_

_He opened the door of his mother's house to go outside and found Haley standing on the other side of the door with a duffel bag of her side._

"_Hi." She said nervously._

"_What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised to see here standing before him._

"_I want to come home Nathan."_

_He exhaled sharply and said, "Haley, this is really bad timing."_

_His mother had interrupted them then, he remembers. There was a fire at his father's dealership. But he remembers a conversation he had had with Haley later on that night…_

_He stood in his room, staring out the window and thinking about what he was going to say to Haley now that she was home. Why had she come back now? Why now, when he was supposed to be leaving for High Flyers soon?_

_He turned around when he heard her knock on his open door. She entered the room and said, "That was your mom on the phone. She said she's going to spend the night at the hospital with your dad."_

"_Unbelievable." He said. "They should have a Scott family discount."_

"_I'm really sorry, Nathan." Haley walked closer to him._

"_About my dad or about us?"_

"_About everything."_

_Nathan sighed, "So what are you doing here anyway? Tour playing Tree Hill?"_

"_No. They wanted me to become a solo artist and record a record or something, but…it didn't matter without you. None of it mattered without you. I made a lot of mistakes, Nathan."_

"_That's right. And if you left the tour for me, then you made another one. Because I'm leaving in the morning. I'm going to High Flyers."_

"_Oh." Haley sounded surprised. "Well, good…good. You deserve it. You deserve to have whatever you want."_

"_Well, listen…there's no more apartment. And I put all your stuff in storage. So you can spend the night in the guest room if you want."_

_Haley nodded and turned around to leave. But before she did, she turned back to him and said, "Nathan, there wasn't a moment when I was away that my heart wasn't with you in Tree Hill."_

"_That's great." He replied stubbornly." But I'm still leaving tomorrow. And unlike you. I'm taking my heart with me."_

_He'd been so hurt from her leaving him that he was afraid to let her back in. But he knows he had to have let her back in at some point, right? If they were still together now, then he had to have forgiven her. He just has to remember when he finally did forgive her, along wit h everything else after that in order to figure out why he is still lying in this coma he's figured out he is in._


	18. Chapter 18: Explanations

**Chapter 18: **_Explanations_

"So they moved Nathan out of ICU." Lucas says to Brooke from their bathroom. " Gave him a regular, private room."

"Really? Well, that's good." Brooke says as the bathroom door opens and Lucas returns to the bedroom in his sweatpants and t-shirt. "It shows Nathan is improving in some way."

"Yep." Lucas says, lying next to Brooke on the bed. "Haley seems to be too. She's been a lot stronger lately, but I know she's still worried about Nathan and James."

Brooke smiles sympathetically and Lucas smiles back at her before taking her by surprise and kissing her lips. She kisses him back and after a few minutes, they stop. She smiles and says, "Wow…not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

"I just missed you today."

"Well, I missed you too." Brooke replies before kissing him again. Then, Lucas puts his hand on her still flat stomach and says, "I missed you too, baby Scott."

He leans down and kisses Brooke's stomach, making her giggle. When he looks up, he says, "I can't believe we're having another one."

"I can't believe he or she snuck up on us. We've been trying for months to get pregnant again and it finally happened when we were least expecting it. I guess you were right about waiting and letting nature take its course."

"Oh, I think this kid was just being stubborn."

Brooke laughs and then says, "Um, speaking of the baby…we need to decide when and how we're going to tell our big baby about this new baby."

"Oh yeah…" Lucas remembers. "We still have to do that. Do we have to?"

"Um, yeah. I'm sure she's going to get curious about why my belly is so big in a few months."

"I don't know…she is your daughter." Lucas says with a smile and Brooke smacks him playfully. He continues, "Just kidding. But maybe she'll figure it out herself. I mean, she's seen Haley and Peyton pregnant."

"I doubt it. She was a baby when they were pregnant. And besides…I'm mommy…she's going to wonder. Why are you trying to avoid this anyway?"

"I'm not, it's just…I don't know how to explain it to her."

"Oh, well, that's easy. We just tell her mommy has a baby growing inside her tummy and in a few months, the baby will come out and she will be a big sister."

"Yeah…that's not the explaining I'm talking about. I'm worried about answering the question she's going to have after we tell her about the baby."

"And what question is that?"

Lucas gives her a strange look, as if saying, "You know what question." Brooke understands his gaze and says, "Oh, she's not going to ask you that."

"She might. She's a very curious three year old. And Nathan said Cooper asked him and Haley after they told him about James."

Brooke sighs, rolls her eyes and says, "Well, she's going to ask us eventually, so you might as well just suck it up and accept that fact now."

"Oh yeah?" Lucas says smiling. "How about I suck it up and accept you right now?"

"No, Lucas, don't…" Brooke says, giggling as he begins to tickle her and Jessilin enters the bedroom in her pink-footed pajamas and carrying a teddy bear. She rubs her eyes with her free hand and says, "What are we doing?"

Lucas stops tickling Brooke immediately and they both look over at their daughter.

"Hey Jess…" Brooke says as her daughter walks closer to Lucas's side of the bed. "Why aren't you asleep in your bed?"

"I waked up and heard daddy talkin'." Jessi explains as Lucas lifts her onto the bed. Jessi looks at him and continues, "You didn't come in to say goodnight when you got home."

"Yes, I did." Lucas replies as Jessi sits in between him and Brooke. "I kissed you goodnight, but you were asleep."

"Oh. Well…what was you talkin' about anyways?"

Lucas and Brooke glance at each other.

"I guess now is as good a time as any to tell her." Lucas says. "I'm sucking it up."

Brooke smiles, then looks down at her daughter and says, "Actually, daddy and I have something to tell you."

"What?"

With a small struggle to think of the most understandable explanation for a three year old, Lucas and Brooke told Jessi all about the baby in mommy's tummy and that in a few months, the baby would come out and be a part of the family and she, Jessi, would be a big sister.

"So, I'm gonna be a big sister like Anna is?" Jessi wonders.

"Yep, exactly like that." Brooke replies.

" So, I'm gonna have a baby brother like Riley?"

"Or a baby sister." Lucas says.

"Which one?"

"Well, we don't know yet, sweetie." Brooke says. "We have to wait a few months before we can find out."

"No we don't. Hang on…" Jessi lays her head down on her mother's stomach. Lucas and Brooke watch her curiously.

"Hello baby in mommy's tummy." She continues. "It's your big sister Jessilin talking. And I want to know if you are a baby brother or a baby sister?"

Lucas and Brooke smile and Jessi sits back up and situates herself back in between them.

"Well, who's in there?" Brooke asks, playing along. "You're sister or your brother?"

"I'm not sure yet. All I could hear was your tummy growling. I'll have to ask again after you feed the baby."

Lucas and Brooke laugh and Brooke says, "I am kind of hungry and ice cream sounds really good."

"Well, let's go get some." Lucas suggests, standing up.

Jessi stands up on the bed as Brooke climbs out of bed. She turns around when her daughter says demandingly, "Wait a second…I have one more question."

"What?" Lucas replies nervously.

"How did the baby get inside mommy's tummy?" She asks, furrowing her eyebrows like Brooke does when she's curious. Lucas gives Brooke an I-told-you so look and Brooke tries to hide her smile.

"Um…" Lucas responds as he walks toward the door. "I think I'll go get the ice cream ready."

"Hey! Daddy…I asked you a question!" Jessilin shouts to Lucas as he leaves the room.

Brooke grins and Jessi turns to her and asks, "Why did he run away from me?"

"Because he's a big chicken." Brooke reaches for her daughter. "Come on…we'll go chase him down."

Jessilin jumps into her arms and Brooke carry her out of the room.

Jenny stumbled up to the front door after her upperclassmen friends dropped her off here and she knocks at the door.

Tyler opens the door and looks at her with surprise as he says, "Jenny…what are you doing here? I thought you were grounded?"

"I am." Jenny says, moving closer to him. "But I missed you, so I snuck out."

She kisses him, but he pulls away.

"Jenny…"

"What's wrong? Don't you miss me too?"

"Yeah, I do, but—"

She kisses him again and he again pushes her away.

"Jenny, are you drunk?"

"Maybe a little." She replies and Tyler exhales sharply and stares at her with disappointment. He steps outside and closes the door so Deb doesn't hear them.

"What's the matter?" Jenny asks. "Don't you want me?"

"Not like this. This isn't you, Jenny. What is the matter with you, anyway? You know you're not supposed to be drinking."

"What the hell? Why are you lecturing me? If I wanted a lecture, I would've just stayed home."

"Well, you should be home. Your parents are going to kill you."

"No, they won't. They won't even notice. They never do anymore. And anyway, I thought you might want to see me since you've been so busy lately, but I guess I was wrong."

Jenny turns to leave, but Tyler runs after her and grabs her arm to turn her around, "Wait a second…we need to talk about this."

"No, I don't want to talk to you anymore…ever." She turns away again, but stops when she sees the cop car pull up in the driveway. "Oh no…you're dad."

Jenny and Tyler stand there in front of the house watching his father turn off the car and climb out. As he walks up to his son and Jenny, Rob stares with suspicion and he says, "Tyler…Jenny…what are you doing out so late?"

"Just chatting." Jenny says innocently.

"Uh, huh…" rob replies, putting his hands on his hips, still dressed in his uniform. "Do your parents know you're here?"

"Um…not exactly." Jenny answer before she bends over and pukes on the lawn.

Tyler runs his hands through his blond hair and Rob sighs as he stares at Jenny, who is still bent over in front of him.

_Ding-dong!_

Jake and Peyton both leave their bedroom; Jake dressed in his sweats and t-shirt, and Peyton in her shorts and tank top. Both exhausted, Peyton says, "It's 2:00 in the morning. What kind of crazy person is ringing the bell?"

Jake flips on the hall and front porch lights before unlocking and opening the door.

"Rob…what?" He says, confused.

"Jake, Peyton…I'm sorry to wake you and I hope I didn't wake the little ones, but I thought I better bring someone home."

He turns around as Tyler helps Jenny up the walkway.

"Jenny?" Jake and Peyton say in unison and Peyton steps outside to help Jenny up the stoop and inside.

"I came home and she was talking to Tyler before she puked on the lawn." Rob says as Jenny and Peyton go inside. "I don't know where she came from, but I assume it was from somewhere she wasn't supposed to be."

"Oh definitely." Jake replies angrily. "She's supposed to be grounded. We thought she was asleep in her room."

"Look, Jake, you guys are like family, so I think I can forget I saw her tonight since this is her first offense."

"No, no…I, um…" Jake ran a hand over his face. "I want her to learn from this. You do what you would normally do in this situation."

Rob nods and says, "Okay, well, it's her first offense and she's a juvenile, so no charges. I'll let you and Peyton handle it."

"Okay. Thanks for bringing her home."

Jake closes the door and turns out the light before walking down the hall to Jenny's bedroom.

"Jennifer Lynn Jagielski!" He shouts angrily when he sees her sitting on the bed. "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"Dad, I'm sorry…" Jenny begins and Peyton stands up next to her husband.

"You bet your ass you're sorry. Jenny—"

"Jake," Peyton interjects, "remember the kids are sleeping."

Jake sighs and lowers his voice, but still speaks with anger, "Jenny, what were you thinking?"

"That I was just having a little fun with my friends."

"A little fun? Jenny, you're drunk! The Chief of Police brought you home! You're spiraling down the wrong road, Jennifer and I want it to stop right now."

"Come on, Dad, it was just a few drinks."

"No, Jenny." Peyton joins in. "it wasn't just a few drinks. It's been more than that. You are getting out of control and we don't understand why."

"Yeah, well you wouldn't." Jenny mumbles as she stares at her angry parents, feeling bad that she's disappointed them again, but glad they're paying attention now. Yet, she knows that after the yelling and grounding is over, the attention on her will disappear."

"Talk to us, Jenny." Peyton said. "Tell us why you've been acting the way you have been acting."

She continues to stare at them. Here is her chance to tell them how she feels. But she looks up at her father's angry face and changes her mind. He is too angry now to listen. No, she should give them both a few days to cool off. And maybe, if she stops behaving this way now, then they will notice her for that and not be so angry.

"I don't know why." She replies, looking back at Peyton. "Peer pressure I guess—"

"No, huh, uh…" Jake says "You don't get that as an out, not this time. You know better than this. Your whole life, we have taught you to be better than this. And I know you know the right way to behave. And you had better start behaving that way. You have siblings who look up to you Jenny, and—"

"Yeah, 'cause it's all about them now, huh Dad?" The words slip from Jenny's mouth before she can stop them.

Peyton and Jake glance at each other, surprised by that comment.

_Well, I have to explain now, _Jenny thinks and her eyes flood with tears as she continues, "It's never about me anymore. It's always about Anna or Riley and I'm always left out. The only way I can get your attention is to do something really bad. I know that sounds selfish and wrong, but I can't help it. That's just how I feel. I hardly get any time with either of you and it's not fair."

"Jenny…" Peyton says slowly, sitting next to her on the bed. "Why haven't you talked to us about this before?"

"There's never a chance to talk about it, not lately. You've both been busy and stressed out with work and with Nathan in the hospital and all that. And I realize now that my behavior lately hasn't helped much either and I'm sorry…. I'm really sorry."

Peyton nods and hugs her daughter and says, "I'm sorry too. But you know we still have to punish you for this."

"I know. I deserve the biggest punishment in the book."

Jenny looks up at Jake, who still looks disappointed. But his disappointment is more in himself now.

"Dad…" Jenny says, standing up. "I really am sorry."

Jake snaps out of his trance and looks at his daughter, who's almost his same height now and he decides he can't really discuss this anymore now. He needs time to think. He's too disappointed in himself, so he says, "We'll, um…we'll talk about this tomorrow."

And he left the room, leaving Jenny feeling like she can never be forgiven by him…the person she needs forgiveness from the most.


	19. Chapter 19: Promises

**Chapter Nineteen: **_Promises_

The bell chimes on the café door as Lucas, Brooke, and Jessilin enter. Jessilin spots Kelcee walking out of the backroom and she runs to her yelling, "Aunt Kelc!"

Kelcee smiles and picks up her niece when she reaches her and says, "Hey, cutie. How're you doing?"

"Good." Jess replies as Lucas and Brooke walk up holding hands.

"Hey big brother." Kelcee says. "And big sister-in-law…long time no see. Where've you been?"

"Busy." Lucas says. "Where are mom and dad?"

"We're right here." Karen says as she and Keith return to the main part of the café.

"So, what's up?" Keith asks after they all greet and sit down together at a table. "You guys said you had some news. What's going on?"

Lucas and Brooke smile at each other and when they look back at Keith, Karen and Kelcee, who's lap their daughter is sitting on, Lucas says, "Well, um…we found out about a week ago…"

"Found out what?" Karen says, unable to stand the suspense.

Brooke smiles and finishes for Lucas, "I'm pregnant…we're going to have a baby again."

Lucas's family smile and Karen says excitedly, "Really?"

"Yep." Lucas replies as he stands up to hug his parents and sister. "Congratulations…you're going to be grandparents again."

Everyone hugs and Jessilin looks up at her aunt and says, "My mommy is gonna have a baby, Aunt Kelcee."

"Yeah, that's great news, huh?" Kelcee replies with a smile.

"Yep. And I'm gonna be a big sister."

"You'll make a great big sister. Just like your dad is a great big brother to me." Kelcee smiles up at her brother admiringly.

"Hey, Mom." Jenny says as she enters the kitchen where Peyton is lifting Riley from his high chair.

"Hey." Peyton replies, looking at Jenny as she puts her son on the floor. "How you feeling?"

"Not so good." Jenny replies, rubbing her forehead. "My head is killing me."

"That is what they call a hangover." Peyton says as she fills a glass with water from the faucet. She turns around and says, "Here, take this."

She hands Jenny to aspirin and the glass of water.

"Thanks." Jenny says before taking the aspirin. When she's finished, she says, "I swear I am never drinking again."

"Good. You better not, or your dad and I will kick your ass."

Jenny smiles slightly before she says, "So speaking of dad…where is he?"

"Outside, in the garage by the pool."

Jenny nods and leaves the kitchen. She passes through the dining room to the back, screened in porch and finally outside. She walks across the yard and unlatches the gate to the fence by the pool and walks into the open side door.

"Dad?" She says as she enters. But her jaw drops when she sees the purple Explorer he is standing near. "What the…"

Jake watches the expression on her face as she walks around the car and he explains, "Your mom and I bought this when you were visiting your grandparents in Savannah at the beginning of the summer. We were so proud of you for raising your grades last year and acing your finals, that we decided we would surprise you on your sixteenth birthday with the car we said you couldn't have."

Jake walks around to where Jenny stands as he continues, "But the way you behaved when you came back and how you've been behaving…we realized you weren't responsible enough yet to handle your license or a car."

There is silence among them for a minute before Jake sighs and speaks again, "Your mom and I talked last night and this morning and we decided to make you hold off on getting your license until you're 18. And you're grounded until further notice."

Jenny nods her head and agrees, "That's fair."

Silence falls again and Jenny stares at her father. She can tell how disappointed he must still be in her. But she doesn't want him to be. She wants him to forgive her."

"Dad, I really am sorry." Jenny speaks. "I know you're still angry at me, but—"

"I was angry." Jake interrupts, looking over at his daughter. "But now I'm disappointed that you would do these things that are so below you, Jenny. I'm disappointed that the trust I used to have in you has been broken. But mostly…I'm disappointed in myself for not being a better father to you."

"No, Dad, you—"

"No, Jenny, let me finish. I really heard you last night and I realized that I haven't been the father I should be, the father I want to be. I admit that I haven't spent much time with you since Anna and Riley. And I'm sorry for that, Jenny…I really am."

"I know you are, Dad. But I'm sorry too. Yeah, I've missed the Saturdays we used to spend just you and me and the Friday nights with just mom and me, but I know I could've talked to you and mom and I definitely could've been more responsible."

"Yeah, you could have. But I do understand your being afraid to talk about your feelings. I've been there before too. And I've been in situations like you were last night and bigger ones too. But I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did, Jenny. I don't want you heading down a road where all you will ever find is trouble. I want you have a good life, Jenny…a great life."

"I will, Dad, I promise. I will have a great life. And from now on, I'm going to work harder to be the person you expect me to be, the person I know I should and want to be. I'm going to go to school and pay attention and I'm going to come home and help out more around the house and spend more time with my little brother and sister. I'm going to earn your trust back, Dad…I promise."

Jake nods and says, "Okay. Thank you. And I promise to be a better father to you too. And I want you to be able to come to your mother or me whenever you need us or if you just need to talk. I love you so much, Jenny Bean."

Jenny smiles and says, "You haven't called me that in a long time."

"Well…I'm sorry about that too."

"It's okay. I forgive you. And I love you too, Dad…. always."

"Me too…always."

And finally they hug, both feeling happier and better appreciated.

"Come on, Katie…you have to eat something." Haley says as she tries to get her 19 month old to eat a small spoonful of macaroni.

"No!" Katie replies, pushing Haley's hands away. "No, eat!"

Haley sighs and puts the spoon down on the toddler plate and says, "All right…I give up."

"Try again in a little while." Deb suggests as she closes the lid to the pink toddler cup full of milk. "Maybe she'll be hungry later."

"Oh, I hope so." Haley says, taking the cup from her mother-in-law and passing it to her daughter in the white, plastic high chair. "But somehow I doubt it. She hasn't been eating much at all lately and it worries me."

"It's probably just a phase." Deb suggests. "Maybe early terrible twos or something."

"Maybe…but I think it's more than that. I think she's missing Nathan."

She looks at Deb and Deb smiles sympathetically. About ten seconds later, Rob enters the house.

"Hi, honey." Deb says as her husband steps into the kitchen. "You're home early."

"Hey Rob." Haley says with a smile. "How're you doing?"

"Good." Rob nods his head. Then, he walks closer as he continues, "Actually, Haley, I'm glad you're here because I, um…I have some news."

Both Haley and Deb's smiles fade and Haley's heart drops.

"What? James?"

"Well, it's nothing certain, but I think we may have a lead."

"Oh my gosh…" Haley covers her mouth and her yes are already filling with tears.

"What is it?" Deb wonders.

"Well, I got a call from an old colleague of mine who's a detective down in Florida. And he said they were tipped off that he was seen at a grocery store with a young boy who also fits James's description on the flyer.

"Oh my god…." Haley says again. "What are they doing? Have they found him?"

"No, not yet. They're going to search every store, check out elementary school, places like that and try and see if he is holding a residency anywhere close. And I'm going to fly down and help."

Haley and Deb look at him with surprise.

"I promised you, Haley, that I would not give up looking for your son. And we're this close and I'm not going to give up now. I'm going down there to look and I'm not coming back until I find him."

Haley smiles with tears and hugs him tight.


	20. Chapter 20: Good Times, Bad Times

**A/N: the memories in this chapter may be different than how they were in the show, especially the school shooting; i changed how that happened obciously because Keith is alive in my story. anyway, i hope you enjoy and i love the reviews )**

**Chapter Twenty: **_Good Times, Bad Times_

_He remembers he hadn't wanted to let Haley back into his life right away when she came back. He was still hurting then, he remembers and he wasn't sure he could trust her again. He wanted to…but he couldn't trust that he could…_

_Haley entered his room and leaned against his wall._

"_Are you awake?" She asked._

"_Yeah." He replied softly. He couldn't sleep because he couldn't stop thinking about her._

"_Will you talk to me? Please?" She asked moving closer to his bed._

"_I don't know what to say to you, Haley. Part of me just wants to find the words to hurt you…the same way you hurt me."_

"_I am hurting, Nathan."_

_He sat up in his bed and replied, "You mean because I made out with Chris…because I turned my back on us and walked away? Oh, wait…that was you."_

_He laid back down._

"_Always and forever." He heard her sigh._

"_What?"_

_She shook her head and said, "Nothing."_

"_Hales…" he said before she could leave the room immediately, she turned back around._

"_Nathan…please, I just…." She said walking quickly toward him and lying on top of him on the bed and hugging him._

"_I'm sorry," she whispered as he hugged her back. "I'm so sorry."_

_She kissed his cheek, and then met his lips. He gave in once, but then pushed her away._

"_Haley…I can't do this. I'm sorry…you…you need to go." She stared at him. "Please."_

_Haley sat up and said, "I understand…if you don't love me anymore."_

_She climbed off the bed and walked to the door. Nathan sat up again and said, "Always and forever…"_

_Haley turned around as he finished, "That's what sucks Haley. I still do love you, I always will…I just can't trust you."_

_She'd looked so hurt, he remembers. But, then again…he was hurt too. He had left for High Flyers the following morning. He spent three months at that basketball camp…training, making himself a better player, but still thinking about Haley and wondering if she was still home in Tree Hill or if she had left again when he left._

_But he had come home after camp, just in time for the start of his senior year and found she was still in Tree Hill. She was living with Brooke in the apartment they used to share. He remembers Haley promised him that she wasn't going anywhere that she was home for good._

_And she was there, he remembers. But it had taken him some time before he let her back in. He even remembers he had considered a divorce at one point…_

_He stepped up to her door, previously their door and he knocked. Fifteen seconds later, Haley opened it. She looked surprised to see him._

"_Hey." She said._

"_Nice place." He returned sarcastically. "Can I talk to you?"_

"_Yeah." Haley agreed before following him out of the apartment._

"_They walked side by side along the lit up street; Nathan with his hands in his jean pockets._

"_I'm glad it was you who stopped by." Haley said, breaking the silence as they walked. "Living with Brooke, you never know who's going to come in for a late night booty call."_

"_Look, um…" Nathan began, wanting to get straight to the point. "I've been doing some thinking…about us, about what we're going to do. And, um…I still have the annulment papers, but…if we get an annulment, that means that our marriage never happened and that would be a lie. We had a lot of good times together, Haley. I don't want to pretend like we didn't."_

"_Neither do I." Haley said, looking up at him as they walked._

_He hesitated to continue with the rest of his words. He knew they would hurt her, shock her even, but he needed to say it. "So instead of having an annulment, I've looked into a divorce."_

_Haley stopped walking at once and stared at him with the shock he had expected. Nathan stopped walking too and turned around to face her as he continued, "The state says we'd have to be separated for a year."_

"_What?" Haley still sounded surprised by all this. "What, um…what are you saying?"_

"_I'm saying that I…I think we should see what happened between now and then."_

_Haley stepped up closer to him and said, "Nathan, I love you. And I know that we can work this out and a year from now, things will be good for us again."_

"_Maybe…" Nathan shrugged his shoulders. "But maybe not. I guess we'll just have to see."_

_And so they had waited. But he remembers now that it hadn't taken them a year to get back to being in love and together again. They spent time together at school and after practice and slowly he had learned to trust her again. He had learned to show her his heart again and became able to trust her with his heart and feelings and lean on her when he'd had a bad day…_

_He sat on his bed, waiting for Hale after listening to the demo, "Halo" she'd recorded and he had gotten back from Chris. It had been a pretty weird and rocky night and he just needed someone to talk to…he needed Haley._

"_Hi." She waved as she entered his bedroom._

_He looked back and replied, "Hey. Thanks for coming."_

"_Yeah, thanks for calling me. What's wrong?"_

_He smiled at her and said, "Your song's great, Haley. Chris played it for me. It's a long story, but uh it's really great. I just wanted you to know that."_

"_Oh/" Haley smiled back. "Okay."_

_He still wanted to talk, so he brought up what he'd been thinking about._

"_My mom left…for good, I think." He looked at Haley, who looked worried for him as she stepped closer. "Oh, and apparently my dad's the mayor now. Yeah, so today just really sucked ass."_

_Haley sat down nest to him as she said, "Oh Nathan, I am so sorry."_

_He looked at her and spoke again, "You know, for most of my life, I would've gone through this alone. And then I met you and I finally found someone I could depend on when life got like this."_

_He paused and she showed she was listening._

"_So I guess I called you because I wanted to know if that was still there."_

_Haley nodded assuring, "Nathan, you can always call me…always and forever."_

_She chuckled and oh, how much he loved her smile. Then, she spoke._

"_I want to ask you something. The night of the masquerade party, did we, um…did you kiss me?"_

_He didn't answer right away because he knew he hadn't and that it was Chris who had. But that didn't matter anymore…Chris was gone. And besides…all that mattered was Haley._

"_Of course I did." He answered before kissing her._

_After the kiss, Haley stopped him and said, "Oh, no you didn't."_

_She opened her eyes, smiled and said, "That kiss wasn't half as good as this one. But I love you for lying to me."_

_They stared at each other for a moment longer before she kissed his cheek and said, "Thanks for calling."_

_She stood up and walked to the door to leave, but he did not want her to go. He liked talking to her again. He liked how she made him feel better. And he wanted to be with her tonight…for real._

"_Haley…" he called out to her and she turned around with a smile in the doorway. He looked down at the bed, then looked up and said, "Stay with me tonight."_

_She was still smiling as she said, "Oh…I was hoping you would say that. And he smiled back at her as she closed the door._

_They were together a lot more after that. That night brought them closer than they had been in months. But now he thinks, he feels like there was something else that had brought them closer too…something that had made him see how short life is and had shown him how close he had come to losing her. But what was it?_

_Oh yeah…he remembers now. It was a school shooting…during senior year. The day Jimmy Edwards had brought a gun to school and held him, Haley and several other hostages in the tutor center. It was such a tragedy, he remembers. Jimmy had been so lonely, so afraid and in so much pain that he had killed himself to end his suffering…_

"_It doesn't have to be like this, man." Nathan had said to Jimmy, who stood at the door with the gun in his hand and ready to shoot anyone who got in his way._

"_Things can get better." Nathan finished._

"_No they can't…I can't fix this." Jimmy cried. "It's over."_

"_Yes, you can Jim…you can fix this." Mouth had tried to help Jimmy too. "Nathan's right. You can feel better again."_

"_No, I can't…"_

"_Sure you can Jimmy." Hale had said. "You can talk to someone…a counselor, maybe or—"_

"_No…" Jimmy said as he stepped into the hall away from them. "It doesn't matter anymore."_

_And he had pointed the gun at his chest and they watched him pull the trigger, ending his life…_

_Jimmy had not survived, he remembers now. And everyone there that day had spent months getting over that tragedy, including him and Haley. They had grieved and came closer together. He had realized how life could close in on anyone at any moment and he had decided he couldn't, and didn't want to, waste anymore time in not being completely with her like they used to be, as husband and wife. After that day, they had moved back in together and a few weeks later he'd proposed again…he remembers when he had proposed to her again…_

"_Oh man." Haley had said as she and Nathan walked together onto the dock by the river in the woods. "This view is so beautiful from the dock."_

"_Well you know, docks are kind of special for us." Nathan said. "Remember the time Dan busted us for drinking?"_

"_Oh don't remind me." She and Nathan both chuckled. "Although, I do have to say, I did kind of enjoy throwing up on him."_

_They laughed again._

"_So, hey," Nathan spoke again. "I couldn't help but notice that you've had your hands in your pockets all weekend. What's that about?"_

"_I guess I can't really hide it from you," Haley replied as they reached the end of the dock and stopped. "Um…I lost my ring…twice and I'm really sorry."_

_Nathan sort of smiled as she went on, "I know you're probably really disappointed in me—"_

"_You mean this ring?" Nathan interrupted when he pulled her wedding ring from his pocket. He grinned wider._

_Haley sighed, "Yeah, where did you find that?"_

"_I kind of stole it—twice."_

_Haley stared at him with a you did what look. Nathan stared back and got down to one knee._

"_What are you doing?" Haley wondered._

"_Haley…" he said. "Over the past year, I learned so much about life and love. And even if I could, I wouldn't take back all the bad stuff that's happened between us. 'Cause it brought us here, to this moment, this river."_

_He took her hand in his and slid her wedding ring back on her finger and said, "Marry me, Haley. Marry me again in front of all our friends and family."_

"_Always." Haley said as she smiled and Nathan stood up. "Always and forever."_

_And they kissed. Afterwards, Haley laughed as she took his ring from his necklace and slid it back on his finger. They laughed and kissed again._


	21. Chapter 21: Discovered

**Chapter Twenty-One: **_Discovered_

"So how was school?" Dan asks James as he opens the door to the apartment and they enter.

James sighs, "I don't like it. I don't like that everyone has to call me Zack when my name is James. And I don't like this dark hair. Mommy always liked that I have hair like hers, but now I don't. I don't like how I had to change everything and I don't like school here. I want to go to school in Tree Hill and me myself. I want to go home. When are we gonna go home?"

"I told you so," Dan replies, irritated by his complaining again. "Just as soon as I finish the work I need to do here."

"But you don't work anywhere. You're always here. So why can't we go home now?"

"Nath—James go put your things in your room and then get cleaned up. We have some errands to run before dinner."

James pouts as he walks away. And once he is out of sight, Dan pulls from his back pocket, a folded piece of paper, which his a flyer he'd found on the windshield of his car. It has black and white photocopied photos of both him and James and it reads:

**MISSING:**

_**James Lucas Scott**_

_**Blond hair, brown eyes, 3'11 **_

**ABDUCTED BY:**

_**Dan Scott**_

_**Black hair, brown eyes, 6'1**_

**FROM:**

_**Tree Hill, North Carolina**_

_**IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE WHEREABOUTS OF THIS CHILD OR HIS KIDNAPPER, PLEASE CONTACT LOCAL POLICE RIGHT AWAY, OR CALL 1800-HELP JAMES**_

Dan rips up the paper and throws it away. They couldn't be on to him, could they? He'd been so careful to make sure no one would figure out where he has brought James. He's made James change is hair and his name and has even used a different name himself. But it seems they're getting closer to finding him. Now that he thinks about it, he has noticed more police around town and that is not a good sign.

He can't let them find him or James. He can't let them take James away and give him back. No…he is not going to let that happen. So they will just have to leave Florida before they can figure out he is here…and as soon as possible.

Haley enters her best friend's house through the front door.

"Hello?" She hollers as she closes the door.

"Upstairs, Hales." Lucas bellows back.

Haley walks upstairs and finds Lucas and her niece in the second bedroom next to Jessilin's.

"Hey guys." She says with a smile.

"Hi, Aunt Haley!" Jessilin says smiling. "I'm helping daddy clean out his office."

"Well, that's really nice of you." Haley replies.

"Yeah, Daddy said I could have ice cream when he's done if I help him. But I gotta go potty now."

Jessi runs from the room and Haley smiles again and says, "She is too cute and too spoiled…like mother, like daughter, huh?"

"Yeah." Lucas chuckles.

""Speaking of…where is Brooke?"

"Shopping with my mom and Kelcee. They're helping her pick out some maternity clothes and some things for the nursery as a birthday present."

"Already?" Haley replies as she sits next to Lucas on the small sofa. "The baby's not going to be here for awhile, right?"

"Six months almost. But we're both really excited about this baby. We're finding out the sex in a few weeks, which is why Brooke demands I have this room cleaned out by then so we can start painting."

Haley laughs. She is quiet a moment and then says, "I'm happy for you guys, Luke. I really am."

"Thanks. But what's on your mind?"

"Jamie. I'm just wondering if he's okay and if the police have found him yet."

"Well, have you heard from Rob?"

"Not since he got down there a few weeks ago. He said they were going to check all possible places they could be living, you know? But he hasn't gotten back to us yet."

"He will, Hales. As soon as he knows something, he'll call you. He'll find James, Haley. I know he will."

Haley nods and smiles and says, "You're really something, you know that?"

"Oh…I have my moments."

Haley laughs and hugs her best friend.

"Come on, James." Dan says as he enters the bedroom. "We have to hurry."

He zips up James's book bag as James finishes tying his shoe. "Now come on, let's go."

"But what about Rocket?"

"We'll come back for him later."

"I don't want to go out of town without Rocket. He needs me."

Dan is growing impatient. He needs to get out of town before they find him. That dog will be too big a distraction and he has to get James to come with him…in any way he can convince him, like he did when he took him from his own backyard.

"I guess you don't want to go home, then?"

"Home?" James says surprised. "We're going home?"

"Yes, but only if we hurry and go now. We can come back for Rocket later. There's no room for him now."

James looks back at his dog lying on the bed. He pets his head and says, "I'm sorry, boy…but I got to leave you here. It's the only way I can go home to mom and dad. But I promise we'll come back for you. I promise…"

He leans down and kisses his dog's head and says, "I love you, Rocket."

Then, he turns to Dan and says, "Okay…I'm ready."

Quickly, Dan leads James to the front of the apartment, leaving the dog and most everything else behind.

**A/N: okay, guys, i am going away for the weekend, so i thought i would let you see what's coming up before i go**

**Nathan remembers his vow renewal with Haley; Lucas and Brooke learn the sex of the baby; Rob is investigating in Florida...will he find James? **


	22. Chapter 22: Closer and Closer

**Chapter Twenty-Two: **_Closer and Closer_

_It had been such a beautiful ceremony, their vow renewal. He remembers how happy Hale had been to have a real wedding. All their friends and family had come together to witness them give their heart and souls to each other again…_

_He waited at the end of the aisle outside with his uncle Cooper standing next to him. Peyton and Brooke walked down the aisle first. Then, Lucas walked Haley down the white carpet, sprinkled with flower petals._

_Oh, how wonderful she looked. He stepped down as Lucas hugged her. Then he took Haley's hand and they stepped back up on the platform and stood in front on the minister._

"_Friends and loved ones," the minister began. "We are gathered here today to witness the renewal of a commitment. A commitment between Nathan and Haley to love one another unconditionally and endlessly. Nathan and Haley, there are many things I could say to the two of you today. But instead, I choose to listen to the words you have for each other. Haley…"_

"_Nathan," Haley started with a smile as she held his hands. "It's been said that there's one word that will free us from the weight and pain of life. And that word is love. And I believe that. That doesn't mean that it hasn't been hard or that it won't be. It just means that I found a stillness and bravery in myself with you. You make me brave and I will love you until the end of time. This I vow today."_

_Nathan smiled. She had beautiful words and now it was his turn._

"_Last year we stood on a beach and I told you how much I loved you and that I would always, always protect you. And on that day, nobody believed that this would work. But I don't think anybody understood the love that I have for you because if they did, they would've never doubted us. So I wanted to marry you all over again in front of most of our world because today, when I look into your eyes, my love for you only grows. And it's even stronger now and our love will never waver. And this I vow to you today and always and forever."_

"_Haley," the minister spoke again. "On this day, do you reconfirm and rededicate yourself to the vows you promised to uphold?"_

"_I do." She replied as she slid the ring on Nathan's finger._

"_And Nathan…d o you rededicate and reconfirm your commitment to the vows you promised to uphold?"_

"_I do." Nathan replied before he surprised Haley with a new wedding ring from his jacket pocket._

_He slid it on her finger. They smiled at each other while the minister said, "And now, before the eyes of God, I once again pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."_

"_I love you Haley." He said._

"_I love you too." Haley said before they kissed with their applause of congratulations._

_They were so, so happy after that. They spent a week in London, he remembers. And it was the best honeymoon they could've hoped for…it had rained everyday. They loved the rain, he remembers._

_They'd come back from the honeymoon and finished their senior year. And after they had graduated, they attended Duke University together where Haley had majored in medicine and learned to become a Registered nurse and he had played basketball on scholarship while studying everything before deciding to become a cop._

_He remembers a lot about college now. It was a lot different than high school, especially after sophomore year. Sophomore year…he remembers something big, something special happened at the end of that year…something that had changed their lives in the biggest way…they became parents._

"So what do you think?" Brooke asks Lucas in the doctor's office, lying back on the table. "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know." Lucas replies. "Either one will make me happy."

"Me too." Brooke says smiling at her husband. Lucas smiles back, then leans to kiss her.

As he stands straight up again, the doctor enters.

"Good afternoon." She says. "Sorry I kept you waiting. My last patient was later for her appointment."

"Oh, it's okay." Brooke says with a friendly smile.

"Well I know how anxious you both are to find out the sex of the baby, so we'll get started."

A few minutes later, the sonogram machine is on and Lucas and Brooke are anxiously waiting to see their son or daughter on the screen.

"Here we go." The doctor says as she moves the paddle across Brooke's abdomen. "Everything looks great. And the baby…oh…"

"What?" Brooke says, glancing at her doctor as he smile disappears. "What's wrong?"

The doctor shakes her head slowly and begins to smile as she replies, "Oh, no, nothing's wrong. The babies are just fine."

Lucas and Brooke glance at each other. Lucas looks back at the doctor and stutters, "D-Did you, um…did you say babies?"

"Now, are we sure this is the place?" Rob asks the detective as they walk up the stairs of an apartment building.

"This is the registered address on record at the school for a Zachary Daniel Scott, which I assume is James Lucas Scott new name, the name Dan registered him with so as not to get caught. Besides…this is the only lead we have right now." The detective knocks on the door. When no one answers, he twists the knob and pushes the door open.

They walk around the open area of the apartment before moving down the hall to the office.

"Well, someone was definitely living here." The detective observes as Rob leaves the office and enters the last bedroom at the end of the hall.

He sees the dog lying on the bed and hurries over to him. He looks at the dog and then says loudly, "Hey John."

The detective enters the room and Rob says, "This is Rocket, my grandson's dog. This is a good sign, right?"

"Well, I sure hope so. By the amount of valuable stuff he left here which he could've pawned for money, I'm guessing Dan took the kid and left in a hurry."

" He must've seen the flyers around town." Rob infers. " And if he has left, he can't have gotten too far. I mean, the principal said the boy was in school today. I think we need to get squads out everywhere on the way out of town."

"I've already done that. They're out at every gas station for miles out of town."

"What about State Highway Patrol?"

"On high alert and checking every rest stop. We just have to wait and hope Dan does stop on his way to wherever he plans to run to now."

"Oh, he will stop. He will stop a few times. He has a five year old with him who'll get hungry and need quite a few bathroom breaks. And besides…I'm not letting him get away again."

Haley steps out of her mini van and closes the door. Cooper stops playing basketball in the driveway and walks over to her.

"Hi, Mom." He says as he hugs her.

"Hi, sweetie. Did you finish your homework?"

"Yeah. Grandma helped me with my math."

"And you got it all done this time?" Haley asks as she and Cooper step into Deb's house.

"Yes. I promise. You can check it if you want."

Haley chuckles as they enter the kitchen where Deb is talking on the phone.

"Okay…" Deb says. "Thanks for calling…I love you too."

She clicks off the phone and looks over at Haley and Cooper.

"Cooper, honey," she says, "Do you want to go see if your sister is awake?"

"No. Who was on the phone?"

Haley knows by Deb's look who it was and she looks down at her son and says, "Never mind, sweetie. Please go check on Katie and get both of your things together."

"But—"

"Cooper, please."

Cooper sighs and leaves the kitchen. Haley looks back at Deb and says, "Well? What did he say? Did they find him?"

"No, not yet. But they found Rocket in an apartment where they believe Dan's been living since leaving Tree Hill."

"Well, where is he now? Where's Jamie?" Haley wonders, confused and panicky. "If they found Rocket, then they should've found James…. he loves that dog, he wouldn't…"

"Shh…shh…Haley, calm down." Deb says, touching Haley's shoulder. "They haven't given up yet and they're not going to, not when they're so close. They're looking everywhere they can think of. State Highway Patrol is even searching. They're going to find him, sweetie. They're so close…they're going to find him."

Haley nods and Deb hugs her.


	23. Chapter 23: Let Him Go

**Chapter 23: **_" Let Him Go"_

"_How are we going to do this, Nathan?" Haley asked, laying on their bed and rubbing her pregnant stomach._

"_Easy." Nathan replied. "I'm going to finish getting your bags together, drive you to the hospital and stay by your side."_

_Haley smiled at how crazy he was acting._

"_No, I mean the baby." She said. "And school and work. We're not ready for this."_

_Nathan stopped and sat down next to her on the bed. He said, "Haley, we've already worried about this and talked about this a million times. Everything is going to be fine. We've been married four years and have been through tough times before. We can handle this just fine."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_I'm positive. Look, I know it's not going to be easy, but we're in this together…always and forever. And we always planned on starting a family someday. We're just starting a few years sooner than we planned."_

_Haley laughed, but then cringed, "Uh, oh…contraction."_

_Nathan took her hand and said, "Okay, just breathe through it…that's it."_

_After the contraction, Haley looked at Nathan and said, "Damn…this is gonna hurt."_

_Nathan smiled a little, but then said seriously, "Okay, come on…we need to get you to the hospital."_

_They'd welcomed a baby boy the next morning, he remembers. Cooper Lee, named after his uncle, had brought him and Haley even more happiness. Cooper and…James and Katelyn._

_They have three children? Yes, he is remembering them now. Five years after Cooper came James…James Lucas. And a few years later…recently, it feels like…came a little girl…Katelyn May…Katie, as they call her. _

_He has children and a wife…a loving family. So, if he has all these wonderful people in his life, why can't he find his way back to them? Where are they now? Where is he now? What has happened that is keeping him from living his life with them?_

"Haley…" Peyton touches Haley's shoulder, trying to wake her.

Haley lifts her head off Nathan's bed.

"Are you okay?" Peyton asks when Haley looks up at her.

"Yeah." Haley replies, running her hands through her hair and sitting back in the chair. "I'm just tired. I couldn't sleep last night."

Peyton sits down in the chair next to her friend and says, "Worried about James?"

Haley nods and says, "I just wish I could be down there right now, looking. Rob keeps calling and saying how close they are, but I want them to be closer than close…I want them to find him."

"They will. You just have to keep hoping. It's worked so far, right?"

"Yeah, it has…for James." Haley looks over at Nathan and says, "But when is it going to work for Nathan?"

She pauses and Peyton listens, "I sit here almost everyday for him. I just sit here staring at him and wondering if he's ever going to wake up. And I've had all these memories lately of high school and the toughest times we've been through. None of those times compare to this though. I know it could be worse, but…"

"I know." Peyton says." It's totally understandable. It'll get better, though, you'll see."

"Thanks." Haley says, smiling.

"Anytime. Well, I just wanted to stop by and see how you and Nathan are doing. I have to go pick Riley up from my dad's."

"Okay. Thanks for stopping by."

"Sure. I'll probably be back later with Brooke and Lucas. They said they have some news for us."

"Oh, I'll bet it's about the baby. Luke said they were going to find out the sex of the baby."

"Oh, that's right. I'm surprised Brooke didn't call me when they found out."

"Maybe they want to tell everyone at once?" Haley suggests.

"Yeah. Maybe…anyway, I'll see you later."

"Bye." Haley waves as Peyton leaves.

She looks at Nathan, sighs and says, "Come on, baby…I know you're in there. You have to come back to me. I'll never stop waiting for you, but you have to come back."

She holds his hand up and kisses it.

"Hey, I really got to go potty." James says from the back seat of the car. "I can't hold it anymore."

Dan glances out his window at the **REST STOP: NEXT EXIT **sign. He doesn't want to make another stop…it's too risky. But when a kid's got to go, a kid's got to go. So he sighs and takes the next exit.

James jumps out of the car the moment Dan turns off the car. Dan follows him inside. Once he's inside, he waits for James by the bathroom. He knocks on the door and says, "Make it quick son."

Meanwhile, outside, three cop cars and a black car pull into the rest stop parking lot.

"That's his car." Rob says from inside the black car. "That's the license plate number they faxed us. He must be inside with James."

"Then, we'll get him when he comes out. He's not getting away this time."

Dan paces in front of the door to the men's room. He is feeling very nervous. He stuffs his hand inside the pocket of the sweatshirt he's wearing to make sure it's still there. It is. He has a feeling he may need it soon.

Finally, he hears the toilet flush and James comes out.

"I'm all done. Do you have to go?"

"No, come on let's go." Dan pushes James toward the door.

"How come we're in such a hurry?" James says as they leave the building.

"Because we are." Dan replies, trying to make James move faster across the parking lot. But before they can reach the car, police surround him and James from around the car and behind and they both stop and turn when they hear a loud voice behind them.

"Hold it right there. We've got you surrounded. Just do as we say and no one gets hurt."

Rob steps out of his own car and James recognizes him immediately.

"Granddad!" He shouts and tries to run to him, but Dan holds him back. "Let me go! It's my grandpa!"

"He's not your grandpa, I am!" Dan shouts as James still struggles to get away.

"No, you're not." Rob says, walking slowly closer. "This is the end of the line for you, Dan. Let the boy go."

Rob is coming closer and closer, but Dan is not going to let them take him. He's not going to lose another son. Rob is inches away, and Dan pulls the handgun from his pocket and says, "Stop, or I'll shoot."

James stops moving. He is too frightened to move, as Dan has the gun pointed at him.

"Dan…" Rob says calmly, frightened for the life of his grandson. "You don't want to do that."

"I don't, but I will if any one of you try to take him away. Now, we're going to get into my car and drive away and no one is going to follow. Understand?"

"Dan, please…"Rob takes a step closer and Dan picks James up and Rob stops. "Please…just let him go."

Dan opens the door to the driver's side and says, "Never" before forcing a crying and terrified James inside. He climbs inside and drives away.


	24. Chapter 24: Connection

**Chapter Twenty-Four: **_Connection_

_They had been through difficult times before. He can remember them all, but for some reason, he can't remember what is going on now. He knows something big has happened and he can feel pain. Not just his own, but Haley's too._

_But what is it? What is keeping him in this state, unable to wake up and only able to see the people he cares about in his memories. Something is missing…there is something he hasn't figured out yet. There is a connection he still hasn't made._

_Deb…is his mother. Lucas…. is his brother. Rob and Tyler…his stepfather and stepbrother. Peyton, Brooke and Jake…are his closest friends. Haley…is his wife and the mother of his children. Cooper…is his eldest son. Katie…is his little girl. And James…James is his youngest son. But there's another connection with him. Something happened to him…he is remembering now…James was taken…_

"Please take me back." James cries softly from the backseat." I want to go home. My grandpa will take me home and you don't have to go back."

"We're not going back." Dan replies angrily. "And we're not going home."

James cries harder and he bows his head. He wishes he had never listened to Dan. He wishes he had never gone with him that day…

"_Are you ready, Rocket?" He said, raising his arm to throw the baseball. "I'm going to throw it really hard, okay?"_

_Rocket barked and James smiled and threw the ball. It soared over the fence. His smile faded and he looked at the dog and said, "Uh, oh…too far."_

_James ran over to the gate and Rocket followed. He stopped and backed away from the gate when he saw a man standing on the other side._

"_Hey there, James." Dan said and he held the ball up." Is this your baseball?"_

_James nodded and Dan said, "Wow…you've got quite an arm."_

"_I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." James said._

"_Well, of course you're not. But I'm not a stranger I'm family. You've never met me, but I'm your grandpa."_

"_I already have two grandpa's, my grandpa Jimmy and my granddad Rob."_

"_Oh, but I'm your grandpa too, your grandpa Dan. I'm your dad's and uncle Lucas's dad. Speaking of your dad, I just saw him at work and he asked me to come pick you up and bring you to see him."_

"_My dad's at work."_

"_I know, but he wants me to bring you to him. He said he has a surprise for you, but you have to come down to the station to get it."_

"_What is it?"_

"_It's a surprise."_

_James glanced at the house, then looked back at Dan and said, "I don't think mommy would want me to go without her."_

"_Oh no, it's okay. I already talked to her at the front door. She said it's okay."_

_James looked down at Rocket then back at Dan and asked, "Can I bring my dog with me?"_

"_Sure." Dan agreed. "Come on, though. We have to hurry."_

_Dan opened the gate and James walked out with Rocket._

James opens his eyes and stares at the floor. He can see something sitting under the seat and he reaches down and picks up the baseball. He turns it around in his hand, and then looks up at Dan in the front seat, who is still focused on the road. And with all his anger and frustration and longing to get away, James throws the ball at Dan's head and instantly the car swerves off the road until it crashes.

_It was an accident…he remembers it now. He remembers everything. He'd been feeling so sad and guilty about James' kidnapping and he was going to meet Lucas and the guys at the River Court. But then a car, which had been fast and out of control, swerved off the road and hit his side. And now he is lying in a coma._

_Finally, he remembers who he is and what has happened to him. He finally made a connection to himself through his son James. Oh, but James…he feels more pain now. Something has happened to James…another accident. James is hurt and scared, so scared…he needs help._

"So are you going to tell us what you're having," Haley asks, while standing at the end of Nathan's bed, across from Brooke and Lucas, "or are you going to keep it to yourselves for the next six months?"

Lucas and Brooke smile at each other and Lucas asks, "Do you want to tell them?"

"Do you want to tell them?" Brooke replies, still smiling.

"You tell them." Lucas decides.

"Someone just tell us already." Peyton says, smiling.

"Well…" Brooke says," um…"

She chuckles and continues, "We're having a girl."

Peyton and Haley both smile and Peyton goes to speak, but is interrupted by Lucas, "And…another girl."

"What?" Peyton says smiling.

"We're having twins!" Brooke says excitedly.

"No way!" Haley says excitedly.

"Yes way1"

"Oh my gosh! That's amazing." Peyton says, hugging Brooke.

"Congratulations!" Haley says as she hugs Lucas. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks." Lucas says before he hugs Peyton and Haley hugs Brooke. After the hugging, Peyton says, "So two more girls? You guys are going to have your hands full."

"So, were you surprised?" Haley wonders.

"Definitely." Lucas replies. "When the doctor said—"

"James…" A familiar, but unexpected voice interrupts him. They all look over at Nathan. "James…"

Nathan's legs are moving and his head and as Haley moves closer to him she says, "Oh my god…"

She puts her hand on Nathan's head and says, "Nathan…Nathan…come on, baby, wake up. It's me, its Haley, I'm right here."

_He can hear Haley's voice. She's calling to him, telling him to wake up. Her voice is growing louder as he slowly opens his eyes._

"Oh my god…Nathan." Haley says with tears. Lucas, Brooke and Peyton stand around watching and waiting in awe.

"Haley?" Nathan whispers with a weak voice.

"Yeah, baby, it's me, I'm right here."

Nathan looks at her and smiles. Haley smiles back and says, "Oh my god, I've missed that smile so much."

She leans down and kisses him. After the kiss, he looks around at his brother and his friends.

"It's so good to see you awake finally." Lucas says softly with glistening eyes. "We missed you."

Nathan smiles, but then remembers his dream of an accident and looks back at Haley and says, "The kids…James…where's James?"

Haley sniffles and wipes her cheeks as she answers, "He's, um, he's not home yet. But Rob went down to Florida to help look for him. They've gotten a few leads and they're so close to finding him, but—"

"But something's wrong."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I don't know…an accident or something happened…I feel like something's wrong."

Haley glances back at her friends, who look as confused and worried as she is.

Rob walks through the emergency room of a Georgia hospital with Rocket on a leash and his detective friend at his side. They approach the front desk and the clerk says, "Oh, I'm sorry, sir…you can't have a dog in here."

"He's a police dog." Rob replies and Detective John explains.

"We're with Florida police investigating a kidnapping. There was an accident on the highway just outside of town and the victims who were brought here are who we're looking for…a man and a little boy."

"Excuse me, I'm handling that case." A doctor walks up behind them. "I'm Doctor Dager. One of you is the boy's grandfather they said was coming in?"

"Yes, I am." Rob replied. "I'm Robert Stevens. James Scott is my grandson. Is he alright?"

Doctor Dager leads them through double doors into a long hallway as he answers, "Well, he has some cuts from the broken window glass on his face, so we had to give him a few stitches and he has a fractured wrist, but we're not sure how that was caused. Fortunately though…"

They stop in front of the double doors to the Pediatric wing and the doctor finishes, "Thanks to his seatbelt…James will be just fine."

Rob sighs relief. "Good…that's really good. Thank you for taking such good care of him."

"Of course."

"Where's the other victim, the boy's kidnapper, Dan Scott?" Detective John asks. "You have security on his room as instructed, right?"

"Well, no…security wasn't needed. There was sever damage to his head and there was severe internal bleeding and nothing could be done to save him. He died shortly after he was brought in, unfortunately."

"Trust me…"Rob responds. "That's not unfortunate. It's very much the opposite."


	25. Chapter 25: Reunion

**Chapter Twenty-Five: **_Reunion_

"Um…Rob it's me, it's Haley…again." Haley talks through the hospital payphone to Rob's voicemail. "This is the fifth message I've left you. Nathan's awake and we're um…we're really worried about what's going on with James. So please call me back at the hospital as soon as you get this please. Thanks."

Haley hangs up the phone and starts walking back towards Nathan's room, but stops and turns when she hears Cooper's voice.

"Mom!" He says loudly, running to her. Deb follows close behind with Katie on her hip. Haley smiles at them and hugs her son and says, "Hi, sweetie."

Cooper pulls out of the hug quickly and asks, "Is dad okay?"

Haley takes her daughter from Deb, looks down at her son and with a smile replies, "Yeah…"

She looks at Deb and finishes, "He's awake."

Deb's jaw drops and her eyes fill with tears and she covers her nose but is smiling as Cooper repeats. "He's awake? He's really awake?"

Haley nods and still looking at Deb she says, "The doctor says he'll have to go through physical therapy and learn to walk again, but he's going to be okay."

Deb nods and hugs her daughter-in-law.

"Can we see him, mom? Please?"

"Of course. He's waiting for you with Lucas, Brooke and Peyton. Come on."

Haley leads them down the hall to Nathan's room. Cooper stops at the door.

"What's wrong, baby?" Haley asks. "Go ahead."

Cooper looks up at Haley and says, "What if he doesn't remember me?"

"Oh he does Coop. He can't wait to see you. Go ahead…open the door."

Cooper pushes down on the handle and all eyes from inside are on them. He steps inside and stops and stares at Nathan, finally believing his father is awake. Haley and Deb watch from the doorway.

Nathan looks at his son from the bed. _Boy has he gotten tall. _He thinks. He smiles and says, "Hey Coop…long time no see."

Cooper stares as his eyes water and he runs over and hugs Nathan tight. Nathan smiles and kisses his son's dark head and says, "I missed you bud."

"I missed you too, Dad." Cooper says before pulling out of the hug. "I was worried you weren't ever going to wake up."

"Well I did, buddy. You don't have to worry anymore."

Cooper smiles and Nathan ruffles his hair.

"Nathan…" Deb says softly as she approaches her son's bed. Nathan looks at her and smiles as he says, "Hi, Mom."

Deb leans down and squeezes her son tight.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She cries.

"I am too, Mom. Believe me…I am too."

As they finish their hug, Haley walks up next to Cooper with Katie in her arms.

"Someone else missed her daddy very, very much." She says and Nathan looks up at them.

"Oh Katie…" He says taking his daughter from Haley and sitting her on his lap. "God, I missed you so much. Look at all this hair you've gotten. Man…. you've gotten so big."

"Yeah, she has." Haley says smiling and touching her daughter's soft light brown head with the tiny ponytail. "She's tall like her daddy."

Nathan smiles and looks into the toddler's eyes and says, "Did you miss me, Katie May?"

Katie's lips pout and she touches Nathan's nose and says, "Dada buh bye."

"Yeah, I did go bye bye for awhile huh? But not anymore. I'm never leaving like that again. I love you Katie May."

"Wove you." Katie says, bouncing on Nathan's lap.

Everyone chuckles and Haley says, "Katelynn…why don't you give daddy a big kiss?"

Yeah, Kate." Cooper says to his baby sister. "Show dad how much you missed him."

Nathan looks back at his daughter and says, "Yeah, can you give daddy a big kiss?"

The toddler leans forward with pursed lips and kisses Nathan's lips.

"Awe…" Brooke and Peyton say as they all watch.

"Thank you." Nathan says when Katie sits up.

"It's so good to see you all together again." Lucas says as he wraps his arms around Brooke's round waist.

"Yeah, this is nice." Nathan says. "But we won't be all together until James is home with us."

The phone at Nathan's side rings and Haley picks it up.

"Hello?"

"Haley, it's Rob." The voice on the other end answers.

"Rob, finally." Haley says and everyone in the room stops talking and listens and watches Haley as she talks.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you, but things have been a little hectic down here."

"What? Why? What's going on?"

"What?" Nathan says worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Well, there was an accident involving Dan and James, but—"

"What? Is James okay?"

"Yes, yes he's alright. His face was cut in a few places by broken glass, but they stitched him up. And he has a fractured wrist, but he's okay. He's safe now. I'm sitting right next to him and he's asleep."

"Oh, thank God…" Haley says before covering the phone with her hand and speaking to Nathan and everyone else. "There was an accident, but James is okay. He's sitting right next to him."

Everyone breathes sighs of relief and Haley speaks into the phone again, "When can you bring him home?"

"Tomorrow. The doctor's want to keep him overnight and let him get a goodnight's rest and make sure he checks out all right. They want him to talk to a child psychologist too, but they said that could wait until he is home. I'm going to stay with him and I'll be here when he wakes up. And after the doctor's release him, we'll be on a non-stop flight to New Brunswick by noon and we should be in Tree Hill by 3:00. You don't have to worry anymore. Haley. Your little boy is coming home."

On the other end, Haley is crying tears of joy as she says, "T-Thank you."

She nags up the phone while everyone still watches her. She sniffles, smiles and says, "James is coming home…tomorrow… Jamie will be home tomorrow."

"He is?" Cooper says smiling. "For real?"

Haley chuckles, "For real?"

Then she leans down to hug Nathan while everyone else celebrate with each other too.

James wakes to a wet face and warm air brushing across his face every three seconds. He opens his eye to a familiar, furry face in front of him.

"Rocket!" He says excitedly smiling and sitting up in his bed to pet his dog. "How did you get here boy?"

He looks over and sees Rob asleep in the chair next to his hospital bed.

"Granddad!" He says and Rob wake up and sits up closer to the bed.

"Hey, buddy." Rob says as James hugs him.

"I missed you, Granddad." James says as he sits back on his pillow.

"I missed you too. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling okay. But my hand kind of hurts and itches and my face itches too."

"Well, your face itches from the stitches the doctors sewed your cuts with. And your wrist hurts because it's fractured and it itches probably from the cast."

"Oh, okay." James looks back at his dog and says, "So you found Rocket and me?"

"Yep. I promised your mom and dad I wouldn't quit until I found you."

James smiles and asks, "Where are they? Are they here too?"

"No, but you'll see them later on today when we go home to Tree Hill."

"Home? I'm really gonna get to go home?"

"Oh, most definitely. Your family misses you so much and they can't wait to see you."

Once again, James hugs his grandfather and this time more tightly and he says, "Thank you Granddad…thank you for finding me. You're my hero."

"Take it easy, Nathan." The physical therapist says as he helps hold Nathan up, who is trying to learn to walk by holding on to two bars and walk in between them. "You're doing just fine."

"Not fine enough." Nathan replies stubbornly, holding tightly to the bars. "I should be doing better than barely standing."

"Well we don't want to push it." His therapist says. "You're already doing much better than we anticipated. Here, why don't you rest for a few minutes and we'll try again when you're ready."

Nathan sighs but allows his therapist and Haley to help him into his wheelchair.

"Just let me know when you're ready to start again." The therapist says before walking away.

"Here's some water." Haley says, handing him bottled water before sitting on a bench next to him.

"Thanks." Nathan accepts the water and drinks it.

"I think you're pushing yourself a little too hard." Haley says. "You don't have to be able to walk today and you probably won't."

"I know, but…"

"What?" Haley rubs her husband's back. "What's on your mind?"

Nathan looks at her, sighs and explains, "I want to be able to give James a real hug when he comes home. I want to be able to hold you and our kids in my arms and not be in a hospital bed when I do like I was last night, And when we are all home, I want to be able to toss Katie in the air like I used to and play basketball and baseball with the boys. I just…"

"I know, baby. I understand. You will get back to being able to do all the things you love to do again, but you have to let your body do the healing. So please do yourself, your family and me a favor and don't push yourself to the breaking point. Be patient and just feel good about being alive and awake and able to get well. Please?"

Nathan nods and smiles. He says, "You're incredible, you know that?"

"Well, only when it comes to you. I was going crazy and being so not incredible while you were in that coma. I was so worried."

"Well you don't have to worry anymore." Nathan holds Haley's hand and rubs her cheek with his free hand. "I'm never going to leave you like that again. I was lost, but I found my way back to you. And I'm never getting lost again…I promise."

Haley smiled and they kiss again…and it's the longest, most passionate and romantic kiss they've had in many, many months.

"Is daddy okay?" James asks from the backseat of Rob's car after Rob told him about the accident.

"Oh yeah." Rob replies. "He's just fine. He's awake now and he has to go through some therapy to help him walk again, but he's going to be okay."

James remains silent as he thinks about the accident he was just in. He looks up at the front seat again and says, "Granddad…you said that Dan got hurt badly in the accident and die. It wasn't because of me was it?"

Rob looks at James through the mirror above him. He remembers James telling about the baseball he threw at Dan. But he is also sure of the damage Dan caused psychologically to James. That is far worse than James throwing a baseball at Dan.

"No, son…" He replies. "It's not your fault. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt…you were."

"I always wear my seatbelt like mommy and daddy always tell me too. I guess that man never listened to his mommy."

"No, I guess not."

James sighs, "I really can't wait to see mom and dad, Granddad. I can't wait anymore."

"Well, in about ten minutes, you won't have to wait anymore." Rob smiles at him through the mirror and James smiles back as he pets Rocket at his side.

"Can this elevator go any slower?" Haley says sarcastically and impatiently as she stands behind Nathan in his wheelchair.

Nathan smiles and says, "Calm down, Hales, we just got in here."

"I know, but they're going to be here any minute and I want to be there when he comes in."

"Me too and we will be. With all his family and friends here to greet him, Jamie will feel really loved, missed and welcomed."

Finally, the bell chimes on the elevator and the doors open on the ground floor. When Haley pushes Nathan's chair out and around the corner, they see all their family and friends waiting near the front doors with welcoming signs for James. Haley's parents and siblings are included among the group, along with Nathan's…

"Uncle Cooper?" Nathan says smiling as big Cooper walks up with Nathan's new aunt Rachel and cousin Emily, and also with little Cooper.

"Man look at you." Cooper says smiling back. "Just woke up from a four month coma and you still look as handsome as ever."

Nathan laughs and his uncle says, "It's great to see you awake finally, nephew."

"Thanks. It's good to be awake finally."

Deb runs over to them and says, "Um, sorry to cut this little reunion short, but that was Robert on the phone. They just left the car and they're on their way inside."

Haley and Nathan both smile and Haley hurries Nathan's chair to the rest of the very large group only a few feet away from the sliding doors.

"Is this really happening, Nathan?" Haley asks, taking his hand when he offers it. "Are we really getting our son back?"

"It doesn't seem real yet, does it?" Nathan responds.

"It will when you see him." Lucas says, tapping Nathan's shoulder as he walks behind him with Jessilin in his arms, on his way to stand closer to Brooke.

For the next few minutes, all everyone can do is just stand and stare quietly waiting, especially Nathan and Haley.

"Haley…you're shaking." Nathan notices.

"I can't help it, I'm— But she stops when she sees the doors begin to slide open and finally…Rob and James appear on the other side.

"Oh my god…" Haley says with tears as she stares at her beautiful little boy, still only seeing his clean face and blond hair, not his cuts or brown hair. "Nathan…he's so—"

"Big." Nathan finishes. He is also overjoyed to be looking at his little boy." He's so big."

"There they are." Rob says outside the doors as they stare at the people inside. "There's your family waiting for you."

James smiles at them all. Finally…he is home. His eyes meet Haley's at the same time hers meet his. He lets go of Rob's hand and begins running for Haley just as she runs for him.

"Mommy!" He yells as they come closer to reaching each other.

Haley's tears pour from her eyes as her knees buckle and meet the hard floor and her son wraps his little arms around her neck. They squeeze each other tight while everyone watch with tears and smiles.

"Oh my God…James, Jamie…. I missed you so much, baby." She cries, running a hand over the back of his head and kissing his cheek one kiss after another. "I love you so much. Oh how I missed you."

"I missed you so much too, Mommy." James says standing up in front of her crying. "I didn't want to go with him. I wanted to come home so bad, Mom, but he wouldn't let me, and he wouldn't bring me. He said you didn't want me anymore."

"Oh, we do want you, Jamie." Haley still cries as she hugs him again. "We want you so much…forever."

"I sang the Sunshine song everyday Mom. I never stopped believing."

"Neither did I, baby, neither did I."

"Where's daddy?"

Haley moves so her son can see Nathan behind her. James smiles again and runs to Nathan. Nathan leans forward in his chair to hug his son.

"Oh…I missed you so much buddy." Nathan cries.

"I missed you too, Dad."

Haley returns to Nathan and watches them hold each other with a smile on her face as Rob walks up to hug Deb and his own son. Finally, Nathan and James release each other.

"I love you too, Dad." James responds to Nathan's "I love you."

"Hey Jamie." Cooper says walking up to his brother.

James looks at him, smiles and hugs his brother, Cooper smiles and hugs him back.

"I missed you Coop."

"I missed you too, James." Cooper says as they pull away. "We all missed you…Katie too."

"Where is Katie? I missed her lots too."

"Come on…she's with nana and grandpa Jimmy." Cooper leads his brother to the big group of people waiting to greet him while Nathan and Haley watch. Haley looks down at Nathan and takes his hand again as they both smile.

"Come here." Nathan says, patting his thigh. Haley sits down in his lap and they kiss. Peyton, Jake, their kids, Brooke, Lucas, Jess, Karen, Keith and Kelcee walk over to Nathan and Haley.

"Straight out of a Lifetime movie, that reunion was." Peyton says smiling. "But it was beautiful."

Nathan and Haley chuckle and Brooke says, "Yeah, this is a very happy reunion. And it was a long time coming."

"Well, it's all thanks to Rob." Haley says just as Rob, Deb and Tyler walk over, Tyler with his arm draped over Jenny's shoulder. Haley stands up to hug her father-in-law. "Thank you so much for finding him and bringing him home."

"Of course." Rob replies, as he stands straight up again. "James is my grandson and I am happy to have him home finally. And I hate to ruin the celebration by mentioning him, but I think you all should know what happened to Dan."

"What?" Nathan asks, caring only to hear that Dan was on his way to prison.

"The doctor who took care of James informed me that Dan died shortly upon arrival to the hospital from major head injuries and severe internal bleeding and damage."

Everyone is surprised by this news, but no one is devastated.

"I know this is probably news of no matter to any of you, as I understand how you all feel about him. But I thought you all should know anyway."

Everyone remains quiet as they search deep down inside themselves for any feelings…nope, nothing…nothing at all.

"Well…" Nathan speaks." At least he won't be able to screw up our lives anymore, right?"

"Here, here." Lucas cheers.

"Well, I really don't want to waste anymore time thinking about him." Haley says. "James is home with us now and no longer in any danger. That's all that matters today."

"I agree." Nathan says. "So let's all go tell him again how much we missed him and how much we love him."

Nathan begins to wheel himself toward James as James runs back to him and Haley. Haley is right…nothing else in the world matters today…nothing other than James.

**a/n: okay, so all that's left of the story is the epilogue, which takes place 7 months later so you can see how everyone is since James came home, and of course for me to throw in one or two more suprises before the story ends..muaaaaahhhh :lol: so look for the epilogue in the next day or so. and you will hopefully be excited to hear i am working on the sequel to this right now...which i can't tell you about right now before this story ends. but i can say it will bring in way more drama than you have ever seen me write before. I'll tell you more about it maybe after this story ends. so now i would like to ask that you go ahead and click on that button that says GO and submit a review cuz i love to know what you all think. Thanks! -Maureen**


	26. Epilogue: 7 Months Later

**Epilogue: **_Seven Months Later_

Nathan enters the house after his morning run. He enters the kitchen, where the boys are setting the table for breakfast.

"Dada!" Katie says excitedly, running for him.

Nathan smiles as he picks her up and he says, "Hey beautiful."

He kisses her cheek. "You ready for breakfast?"

"Yay. Pancakes, yummy!"

Nathan chuckles and Haley closes the refrigerator door after pulling the orange juice out.

"What?" She says to Nathan. "Doesn't mommy get a kiss?"

"Of course." Nathan replies before leaning down to kiss her.

Cooper and James watch their parents from their seats at the table, while Katie watches from Nathan's arms.

"Okay, come on we're hungry." Cooper says smiling.

Katie giggles as Nathan and Haley pull away from each other. They walk to the table together and Haley sits down in the chair next to the one with the booster seat, where Nathan sits Katie and says to Haley, "So you seem to be feeling better today?"

"I am." Haley replies, smiling as she serves pancakes to her sons. "Which is great since today is a special someone's sixth birthday."

James smiles and says, "Thanks for making blueberry pancakes for my birthday, Mom."

"You're very welcome baby." She replies as Nathan sits down next to her.

"Mom," Cooper says as he pours syrup over his own pancakes. "How come you've been getting sick lately? Is there something wrong?"

"No." Haley says, cutting a pancake for her daughter. "It's just from the baby. The baby makes me a little sick sometimes, but not today."

"How does the baby make you sick mom?" James wonders.

"It just give her a little stomach ache sometimes." Nathan answers.

"Yeah." Cooper agrees, looking at his brother. "Kind of like how you give me a stomach ache, Jamey."

"Hey!"

Nathan and Haley smile and Nathan says, "Well, as I recall, you made your mom throw up everyday when she was pregnant with you, Coop. Isn't that right, Haley?"

"Oh yeah…I was so sick."

"Very funny." Cooper says as James giggles with a mouthful.

"While we're talking about the baby," Nathan starts. "You guys remember not to tell anyone about the baby today, right?"

"Yeah." Cooper answers. "But why don't you want to tell anyone?"

"Well, we will tell everyone eventually." Haley says. "Just not today. Today is all about Jamey. And besides…"

Haley smiles at Nathan and continues, "We just found out. We want to wait a little bit before telling everyone. We just want to keep it between us right now."

Nathan smiles back, then looks at the boys and says, "So…do you guys think you can keep it a secret for a little while?"

"Well, I can." Cooper says. "Katie, maybe, but James can't."

"I can too!" James argues. "You'll see. If anyone blabs, it'll be Katie."

They all look at the two year old with the messy face and Haley smiles and talks to her.

"Awe…you can keep mommy's baby a secret, can't you Kate?"

Katie smiles, shakes her head and says, "No, baby!"

Everyone laughs and they go on eating and talking together.

"Are you guys ready?" Jenny whispers to her little brother and sister as she puts a vase of flowers on a tray with two plates of eggs, sausage and toast and two coffee mugs.

"Yeah, we're ready." Anna whispers back. "But I want to carry the flowers."

"Okay, here." Jenny hands her the vase of flowers. Then, she looks at three-year-old Riley and asks, "Do you have the card?"

"Yep…" Riley replies, holding up the white and pink construction paper with words of crayon. "I got the card."

"Okay, let's go." Jenny says before putting a white envelope on the try, picking it up and leading her siblings from the kitchen.

They walk through the dining room and living room, past the front hall and down the side hall and stop at the only closed door on the right wall.

"Anna, can you get the door?"

Anna smiles at her sister as she twists the knob and pushes the door open and walks in, Jenny and Riley following. Jenny sits the tray on Peyton's long dresser.

"Help me up, Jen." Riley says before Jenny quietly lifts him onto the bed at their sleeping parents' feet. She then lifts Anna up and sits her next to Riley.

Jenny sits on the oak chest at the end of the bed and looks at her little brother and sister and says, "Okay, on the count of three…do you remember what to say?"

Both children nod with smiles and Jenny counts off, "Okay, ready? One…two…three…"

"Happy Anniversary!" All three shout and the children giggle as Jake and Peyton wake. They smile at their children…the three most wonderful children in the world.

"Yeah, well thanks for keeping her all night for us…" Lucas says softly through the phone as he reaches the top of the stairs with a coffee mug. " Brooke and I appreciate it…"

He enters his bedroom and sees Brooke burping a baby on her shoulder as she stands and rocks. He smiles at the sight, and then speaks into the phone again. "Look, Mom, I have to go…the girls are awake and I have to help Brooke, but I'll see you guys at the party…I love you too…tell Jess I love her too…alright bye."

Brooke chuckles as Lucas clicks off the phone.

"Can't wait to see you, can she?" She says smiling and now rocking the baby cradled in her arms.

"I think she can't wait to see her new granddaughters again." Lucas replies before kissing Brooke's lips.

Then they both smile down at the baby in her arms.

"Awake already, miss Ashlyn?" Lucas says before kissing the infant's soft fuzzy, dark brown head.

"She's always the first." Brooke says before looking into the other white bassinette when the other baby cries.

Lucas lifts the tiny, screaming baby from the bed and looks at her and says, "And I think Megyn is a little jealous of all the time her big sister demands of mommy."

"No…" Brooke replies as she laid Ashlyn in the first empty bassinette. "She's probably just hungry. I'll take her."

Lucas carefully places Megyn in Brooke's arms.

"Hello, beautiful." Brooke says as she carries the baby over to the rocking chair to feed her.

Lucas smiles as he watches his wife feed and bond with one of their little miracles. Brooke looks up and catches him staring at her and she smiles and says, "What?"

Lucas continues to gaze at them as he responds, "You're an incredible mother, you know that?"

"Well, I don't know about incredible, but I try." Brooke says, looking down at her daughter as she feeds.

"No, you are incredible." Lucas says as he moves closer to them and kneels down. "You have so much love for all three of our kids and you never fail to show it."

Brooke smiles again and says, "Well, it's not that hard."

She looks back at Lucas and finishes, "Loving you and our girls is the greatest and easiest thing in the world for me. And there's nothing else in the world that matters to me as much as you and our family. I love you."

"I love you too." Lucas says before kissing her.

"When are we going to eat?" James asks Haley as she and the other adults sit around a table on the deck and Nathan works the grill.

"As soon as everybody else gets here." Nathan answers as he closes the grill cover. "I'll cal you when it's ready."

"Okay." James says before running off the deck and back to playing with his brother, friends and cousins in the yard.

"He seems really happy." Peyton says and Haley looks back at her and the rest of her family.

"He is." Haley says. "He's very happy."

"Does he still have those bad dreams?" Deb asks as she holds her granddaughter in her lap.

"Sometimes." Nathan answers. "But his doctor said it's normal for a kid his age to have nightmares after going through what he went through. But I think he'll be okay."

"He will." Haley agrees.

A familiar little girl comes running onto the deck from inside.

"Hello everyone!" Jessilin shouts as Kelcee, Keith and Karen step out onto the deck too.

"Hey Jess." Haley greets before Jess runs down the stairs of the deck and takes off across the yard toward the swing set.

"Hey Keith, Karen, Kelcee." Haley says. "Glad you could make it."

"Of course." Keith says as he kisses Haley's cheek. "We wouldn't miss a Scott party."

"Hey, where are Lucas and Brooke?" Nathan wonders. "Luke said they'd be here by now."

"Cut us some slack," Lucas says, as he and Brooke appear, each carrying a pink and gray infant seat and Brooke with a black and pink diaper bag draped around her shoulder. "We have two month old twins who got a little cranky when we tried to leave the house."

Nathan smiles as he checks the meat again and Keith holds the screen door open and Lucas and Brooke walk through.

"Thanks." Brooke says as Karen takes the car seat from her and sets it on the patio table. Lucas sets the other next to it as Peyton, Haley, Deb and Kelcee wander over to see Brooke and the babies. Lucas makes his way over to the other side of the deck to help Nathan.

"Oh man, I can't believe how tiny they still are." Haley says as she and the other women watch over the sleeping infants. "None of my kids were ever this small."

"Yeah, well the doctor said twins are usually smaller than other babies, especially if they're early like these two were."

"They're so adorable." Peyton says.

"Yeah, while they're sleeping." Brooke says with a sigh. "But when they're screaming their tiny little lungs out, you'll reconsider."

"No, they'll just be loud and adorable and heartbreaking." Karen says.

They chuckle and Nathan shouts out, "Okay everybody…food's ready."

"Look who I found awake, Mom." Cooper says as he carries his baby sister in his arms outside, now at sunset after cake and presents are over and the kids are back to playing in the yard.

Haley smiles as she takes Katie from her son and she says, "Hey there, sleepy girl. You feeling better?"

"Awe…" Brooke says as she and Peyton both a baby in their arms. "Is she sick?"

"She just had a little fever awhile ago." Haley replies as she touches her daughter's forehead. "But it doesn't feel like it's there anymore."

"Good." Nathan says before reaching for his daughter from the seat next to Haley. "Come here big girl."

Katie smiles as Haley passes her to Nathan.

Everyone watches quietly as Nathan and Haley both smile at their little girl.

"Okay…" Brooke says. "I can't take it anymore. What is going on with you two?"

"What?" Nathan and Haley respond in unison.

"You both are way too happy today for just a birthday." Brooke continues.

"Yeah…I agree." Peyton says. "Something's missing here."

"What are you talking about?" Haley laughs, glancing at Nathan. "Nothing is missing. We are just really, really happy."

"Yeah, well we can see that." Lucas says. "But about what? What are you two hiding?"

Haley covers her stomach naturally as she crosses her arms and replies innocently, "Nothing."

"Yeah." Nathan says. "Honestly, you guys…we're just happy about being with our family and friends and about having everyone together."

It's the truth…they are happy about life and their kids…all four now.

"Well, I guess that is a good reason to be so chipper." Lucas says as he lifts his beer from the table. "The best reason anyway. Hey…let's drink to it, let's drink to life."

"Oh, you guys told them about the baby?" Cooper says as he returns to the deck.

Everyone instantly shoots Nathan and Haley looks of surprise and Brooke says, "Baby?"

"Oops…" Cooper says as Nathan and Haley look at him. "Sorry."

He backs away and runs off the deck as Peyton asks, "Haley are you pregnant again?"

Nathan and Haley both smile and Haley replies, "Yeah actually, I am."

"Oh my god…that's great." Lucas says before hugging his brother.

"Why didn't you guys tell us?" Deb asks as she hugs Haley and Rob hugs Nathan.

"Well we just found out a few weeks ago." Haley replies as she and Nathan sit back down next to each other. "We wanted to try keeping it to ourselves for a little while."

"A few weeks?" Brooke repeats. "How far along are you?"

Haley smiles, "Twelve weeks today."

"Wow…twelve weeks." Jake says. "That's pretty big news to keep to yourselves."

"Sorry." Haley says as Nathan takes her hand. "We were planning on telling you guys. But we thought it would be interesting to see how well and how long the kids could keep it a secret."

"Not very well apparently." Keith says and they laugh.

"Well it's okay." Lucas says. "We're all just happy to see you guys so happy. Congratulations you two."

"Thanks, man." Nathan says.

"Bye James!" Jessilin waves from the backseat of Brooke's Jeep Liberty. "Happy Birthday!"

"Bye Jess!" James waves back, standing with his parents and siblings in the driveway. "Bye Uncle Luke, Aunt Brooke. Bye Ashlyn, bye Megyn."

Lucas chuckles from the passenger seat of the car as he eaves. "Bye guys. I'll call you tomorrow Nate."

"Alright, man. See you. Thanks for coming."

Brooke backs out of the driveway and honks before driving away. They were the last guests to leave.

"So did you have a good time today, Jamey?" Haley asks while she holds Katie on her hip wit her head lying on Haley's shoulder.

"The best." James replies. "This has been the birthday ever. I wish it didn't have to be over."

"Well, it's not over until midnight." Nathan says. "You've still got a few hours."

"Can we stay up until then?" James asks hopefully and all three Scott boys look over at Haley and James begs. "Please, Mom, please?"

"Yeah, come on Mom." Cooper says. "It's his birthday. We'll both be good and quiet."

Haley smiles and she looks at Nathan and says, "I don't know. Katie and I are both pretty tired. But if you—"

"I'll stay up with them. It's only a few more hours and it's summer and his birthday." Nathan reasons.

Haley sighs and finally agrees, "Okay, you can stay up—"

"Yes!" James and Cooper shout and slap hands.

"But I want you both in your pajamas now and in bed by 12:10. Got it?"

"Okay, Mom." James says as he and Cooper run for the front door. "Thanks. I love you."

"Love you too." Haley hollers back as she and Nathan watch them from the driveway.

Nathan wraps his arm around Haley's shoulder now that Katie is asleep against Haley's chest. He says, "You know…we've got the three greatest kids in the world."

"Yeah we do." Haley says glancing down at her daughter. "And in six months we'll have another one. We'll be a family of six."

She looks up at Nathan and smiles. He smiles back as she says, "My whole life…this is all I've ever wanted…a loving husband and a big family. Thank you for making my dream come true."

"No…. thank you." Nathan replies. "Ever since I met you, this has been my dream too. I love you, Haley Scott."

Haley smiles and replies, "I love you too."

They kiss before walking up the driveway together. And in the street, across the street, in a dark car is watching them as they walk.

"Awe…how adorable…" The dark haired man says to himself. "One big happy family with not a care in the world…for now."

He smiles that evil grin and chuckles evil again.

"But I'll be back…I'll get my revenge…I won't be beaten again."

He chuckles again as he turns on the ignition and drives away.

**a/n: Shocking ending? It was the only ending i could think of that would lead to a good storyline for a sequel, which i will begin posting soon. In case any of you want to keep an eye out for it, it is called Dan's Return. I will try to start posting it soon, within the next day or two hopefully. Thank you all for reading and reviewsing. Can you do me a favor and review on this story once more? I really want to know how you all reacted to the ending. Thanks so much.**


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